Foreign Phrases Commonly Used in English
 
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Phrase: casus belli

Meaning: justification for an act of war

Language of Origin: Latin

Additional Information: May not be the real reason for the war, just a political artifice.

Example: “As a casus belli it was dubious at best.”

Other Phrases Beginning with the Letter C

Language Phrase Meaning
Latin camera obscura dark chamber
Latin carpe diem seize the day
French carte blanche a free hand, a blank cheque
Latin casus belli justification for an act of war
French cause célèbre a celebrated case
Latin caveat emptor let the buyer beware
French c’est la vie that’s life
Latin ceteris paribus other things being equal
French cherchez la femme look for the woman
French chez nous at our place
Italian chiaroscuro light and dark
Yiddish chutzpah gall, arrogance, audacity
Latin coitus interruptus withdrawal prior to ejaculation
French comédie humaine the human comedy
French comme ci comme ça so-so
French comme il faut as it should be
Latin compos mentis of sound mind, sane
French connoisseur a discerning judge
Italian conoscenti connoisseurs, experts
French cordon bleu high quality
Latin corpus delicti evidence of a crime
Italian cosa nostra the Mafia
French coup de grâce death blow
French coup d’état sudden overthrow of a government
French coup de théâtre theatrical trick or unexpected event
French coup de main surprise attack
French crème de la crème best of its kind
French cri de coeur heartfelt cry
Latin cui bono? to whose benefit?
Latin curriculum vitae (CV) résumé
Russian czar autocratic leader