Also means
highlight, star attraction
Usage Note
Clou literally means a nail (the hardware kind), and its plural clous appears in passage clouté, the old word for a pedestrian zebra crossing (marked with metal studs). The figurative le clou du spectacle means the highlight or showstopper of an event.
Examples
"Il a planté un clou dans le mur."
Natural Translation
He hammered a nail into the wall.
Literal Translation
He planted a nail in the wall.
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