Cas de force majeure

Expression: un cas de force majeure

Pronunciation: [ka deu fuhrs ma zheur]

Meaning: (event of) force majeure, case of absolute necessity

Literal translation: case of great(er) force

Register: normal

Notes: Cas de force majeure is one of the few French expressions that keep the same meaning when adopted into English, though in the latter it is reduced to just "force majeure." In both languages, force majeure has two distinct uses:

1) In contract law and business, force majeure refers to an unforeseen or unavoidable disaster, whether man-made (e.g., war, strike, vandalism) or natural (hurricane, earthquake, volcanic eruption)—in other words, something beyond the control of the signatories. Most contracts, from consulting to construction to insurance, have a provision for force majeure which stipulates that if one of these events occurs, some or all of the contract is invalidated. And the contract doesn't necessarily need to be printed and signed to be subject to force majeure provisions; they are also found in online terms and conditions, especially in the travel industry: airline tickets, hotel reservations, and the like. By checking "I accept" after the fine print, you acknowledge (among other things) that your purchase may be invalidated in the event of a force majeure.

2) In international law and the military, force majeure indicates an unexpected incident (e.g., loss of a plane's engine) that allows the normal rules of international law to be overridden (such as landing the damaged aircraft in a restricted zone).

Somewhat synonymous: Force majeure is sometimes used interchangeably with "natural disaster" or "act of God" (in French, une catastrophe naturelle). However, natural disasters are just one type of force majeure; man-made disasters are another.


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• French emergency vocabulary
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• French expressions used in English
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