Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

caesar's wife must be above suspicion

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.89 in modern English

Syllables
cae-sar's wife -must be above -sus-pi-cion
IPA
52
Scrabble Score
31
Letters
6
Syllables
16
Unique Chars

Meaning

proverb

Those in positions of authority should avoid even the implication of impropriety.

Etymology

In 62 BC Publius Clodius Pulcher sneaked into the festival of the Bona Dea, hosted by Julius Caesar’s wife, Pompeia, with the intention of seducing her, leading to Publius’s arrest and trial. After the trial, Caesar divorced Pompeia, and when questioned said “my wife ought not even to be under suspicion,” as Pompeia was under suspicion of illicit behavior.

Inflected Forms

Caesar's wife must be above reproach (alternative) Caesar's wife should be above suspicion (alternative) Caesar's wife should be above reproach (alternative)

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Questions

What does caesar's wife must be above suspicion mean?
Those in positions of authority should avoid even the implication of impropriety.
Where does caesar's wife must be above suspicion come from?
In 62 BC Publius Clodius Pulcher sneaked into the festival of the Bona Dea, hosted by Julius Caesar’s wife, Pompeia, with the intention of seducing her, leading to Publius’s arrest and trial. After the trial, Caesar divorced Pompeia, and when questioned said “my wife ought not even to be under suspicion,” as Pompeia was under suspicion of illicit behavior.

How to pronounce caesar's wife must be above suspicion

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “caesar's wife must be above suspicion”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “caesar's wife must be above suspicion”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “caesar's wife must be above suspicion” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.