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querelle

quarrel, dispute

noun keh-REL Less Common

Origin: Latin querella

Usage Note

Querelle is slightly more formal or literary than dispute and suggests a prolonged or petty argument. Chercher querelle à quelqu'un means 'to pick a fight with someone.' Querelle de clocher ('bell-tower quarrel') is an idiom for a petty local dispute.

Examples

"Ils ont eu une vieille querelle."

Natural Translation

They had an old quarrel.

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