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

Example Sentences

"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

In the Louvre’s gilded Galerie d’Apollon, home to the French crown jewels, four ornately embroidered jackets celebrate the glories of France and its savoir-faire.

From New York Times • Jan. 28, 2022

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

Why to go: Joie de vivre, savoir-faire, and that je ne sais quoi … There’s a reason France is the most visited country in the world.

From Washington Post • Feb. 13, 2020

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