IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchLa perfide Albion
Meaning: A hostile nickname for England, cast as habitually treacherous in its diplomacy.
Literally: Perfidious Albion
Example: “Le journal nationaliste accusait encore la perfide Albion de tous les maux.” — The nationalist paper was still blaming "perfidious Albion" for every ill.
English equivalent: Perfidious Albion
Equivalents in other languages
English: perfidious Albion
Origin: Albion is the ancient name for Britain, probably from Latin albus for the white cliffs. The pairing was popularized by the marquis de Ximénès in 1793, at the start of the war with Britain, and has been reached for in French polemic ever since.
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