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.
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
savior, saviour, savitskaya, savoie, savoir faire, savoir-faire, savoir-vivre, savona, savonarola, savonarola chair, savonarola, girolamo
Origin of savoir-faire
1805–15; < French: literally, knowing how to do
SYNONYMS FOR savoir-faire
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples 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
Word Origin and History for savoir-faire
savoir-faire
"instinctive knowledge of the right course of action in any circumstance," 1815, from French, literally "to know (how) to do," from savoir "to know" (from Latin sapere; see sapient) + faire (from Latin facere; see factitious). French also has savoir-vivre "ability in good society; knowledge of customs in the world."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper