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causes célèbres

 - 2 dictionary results

cause cé⋅lè⋅bre

[kawz suh-leb-ruh, -leb; Fr. kohz sey-leb-ruh ]
–noun, plural causes cé⋅lè⋅bres [kawz suh-leb-ruhz, suh-lebz, kaw-ziz suh-leb-ruh, -leb; Fr. kohz sey-leb-ruh ] .
any controversy that attracts great public attention, as a celebrated legal case or trial.

Origin:
1755–65; < F: lit., famous case
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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cause cé·lè·bre   (kôz' sə-lěb', kōz' sā-lěb'rə)   
n.   pl. causes cé·lè·bres (kôz' sə-lěb', kōz' sā-lěb'rə)
  1. An issue arousing widespread controversy or heated public debate.

  2. A celebrated legal case.


[French : cause, case + célèbre, celebrated.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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