savoir-faire
[ sav-wahr-fair; French sa-vwar-fer ]
/ ˈsæv wɑrˈfɛər; French sa vwarˈfɛr /
noun
knowledge of just what to do in any situation; tact.
QUIZZES
BEAT THE DOLDRUMS WITH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!
We know you’ll tackle this quiz totis viribus! See how many words from the week of Oct 12–18, 2020 you get right!
Question 1 of 7
What does “Indigenous” mean?
Origin of savoir-faire
1805–15; <French: literally, knowing how to do
SYNONYMS FOR savoir-faire
Words nearby savoir-faire
savings ratio, savior, saviour, Savitskaya, Savoie, savoir-faire, savoir-vivre, Savona, Savonarola, Savonarola chair, Savonarola, Girolamo
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for savoir-faire
British Dictionary definitions for savoir-faire
savoir-faire
/ (ˈsævwɑːˈfɛə) /
noun
the ability to do the right thing in any situation
Word Origin for savoir-faire
French, literally: a knowing how to do
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for savoir-faire
savoir faire
[ (sav-wahr fair) ]
Ease and dexterity in social and practical affairs: “Peter is a friendly person, but he lacks the savoir faire required for a successful career in the foreign service.” From French, meaning “to know how to act.”
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.