Definition

1. Noun:
   • A controversial issue, case, or person that attracts a great deal of public attention and passionate debate: A "cause célèbre" is an event, legal case, or topic that becomes widely known and discussed, often because it is seen as embodying an important social or political principle.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The trial became a cause célèbre for activists fighting for free speech.
  • That environmental protest has turned into an international cause célèbre.
  • The artist's banned exhibition quickly became a cause célèbre in the art world.

Advanced Usage

• As a subject of prolonged debate: A "cause célèbre" often implies sustained interest and division of public opinion over time.
  • The decades-old legal case remains a cause célèbre for scholars of constitutional law.

Variants and Related Words

• Cause (n): A principle, aim, or movement that one is prepared to support or advocate for.
  • She dedicated her life to the cause of animal welfare.
• Célèbre (adj, from French): Famous, celebrated. (Note: This French word is primarily used in English within the fixed phrase "cause célèbre").

Synonyms

• Sensation: An event or person that arouses widespread interest and excitement.
• Controversy: A prolonged public dispute or debate concerning a matter of opinion.
• Landmark case: A legal case that establishes an important new principle or concept.

Notes on Usage

• Origin and Form: The term is borrowed directly from French, meaning "celebrated case." It is typically used in its original French form and is often italicized in writing (), though common usage increasingly omits the italics.
• Context: It is most frequently used in contexts involving law, politics, social justice, media, and the arts to describe an issue that has captured the public imagination and sparked debate.

Noun

1. an incident that attracts great public attention