casus belli: Meaning and Definition of

ca•sus bel•li

Pronunciation: (kā'sus bel'ī, bel'ē Lat. kä's&oobreves bel'lē), [key]
— pl. ca•sus bel•li
  1. an event or political occurrence that brings about a declaration of war.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.