
IdiomDaily Life
English
perfidious Albion
Meaning: A mocking name for England or Britain as treacherous and untrustworthy.
Example: “When the trade deal collapsed, the Paris papers were quick to blame perfidious Albion.”
Origin: "Albion" is an ancient name for Britain. The French phrase la perfide Albion was popularized in the late 18th century, around the Revolutionary wars, and passed into English as a quotation used ironically.
Equivalents in other languages
French: La perfide Albion Literally: Perfidious Albion
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