crime passionnel

English

Alternative forms

• crime passionel

Etymology

Borrowed from French crime passionnel.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌkɹiːmˌpasjəˈnɛl/

Noun

crime passionnel (plural crimes passionnels)

1. A crime of passion, especially a murder committed from motives of jealousy. [from 19th c.]
   • 2000, JG Ballard, Super-Cannes, Fourth Estate, published 2011, page 50:

     If, as she hinted, Dr Serrou had spent the night with Bachelet, the inexplicable brainstorm might have stemmed from a crime passionel.

   • 2013, Nick Richardson, “Internet-Enabled”, in London Review of Books, volume 35, number 8:

     Stalking, a kind of crime passionnel, confuses our sympathies: how do you feel about someone who loves you but wants to ‘ruin’ you; who massages your ego as she damages your career [...]?

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʁim pa.sjɔ.nɛl/, /kʁim pɑ.sjɔ.nɛl/

Noun

crime passionnel m (plural crimes passionnels)

1. crime of passion, crime passionnel