savoir-faire

American  

[sav-wahr-fair, sa-vwar-fer] / ˈsæv wɑrˈfɛər, sa vwarˈfɛr /

noun

1. knowledge of just what to do in any situation; tact.

   Synonyms:

   ability, skill, discernment, diplomacy, adroitness, adaptability

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savoir-faire British  

/ ˈsævwɑːˈfɛə /

noun

1. the ability to do the right thing in any situation

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savoir faire Cultural  

1. 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.”

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Etymology

Origin of savoir-faire

1805–15; < French: literally, knowing how to do

Explanation

Your savoir-faire is your social smoothness. It will serve you well at parties and on the first day at a new school. As with so many French words that have English cousins, the French version somehow retains an edge of sophistication over its counterpart. The nearest English equivalent of savoir-faire is know-how. But while know-how pertains to nearly all skills, especially practical ones, savoir-faire usually refers specifically to skill in social and diplomatic situations.

Example Sentences

To his eternal credit, Suga Free’s technical complexity, comic timing and mid-song impressions make him so inimitable that few ever attempt to copy his savoir-faire.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2023

"Our reputation is at stake. That is why we must unite all our knowledge, our efforts, our savoir-faire to achieve this goal."

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2023

“We can speak of our savoir-faire to people from all over the world.”

From Washington Post • Dec. 16, 2021

An institution near rue Mouffetard, La Tuile à Loup cultivates beauty by preserving the savoir-faire of traditional artisans in the countryside.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 14, 2021

He was painfully aware that he lacked the ecclesiastical aplomb and savoir-faire that enabled so many of his colleagues in other faiths and sects to get ahead.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller