savoir-faire
English edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from French savoir-faire (“know-how”), from savoir (“to know (how)”) + faire (“to do”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
- The ability to do or say what is appropriate for the occasion.
- 1917, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, chapter IX, in The Soul of a Bishop[1]:
- Dr. Brighton-Pomfrey had the savoir-faire of a successful consultant; he prided himself on being all things to all men; but just for an instant he was at a loss what sort of thing he had to be here.
Synonyms edit
French edit
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
savoir-faire m (uncountable)
Descendants edit
- → English: savoir-faire
- → Italian: savoir-faire
- → Portuguese: savoir-faire, → saber-fazer (calque)
See also edit
Further reading edit
- “savoir-faire”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams edit
Italian edit
Etymology edit
Unadapted borrowing from French savoir-faire (“know-how”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
savoir-faire m (uncountable)
Related terms edit
References edit
- ^ savoir-faire in Dizionario Italiano Olivetti, Olivetti Media Communication
Further reading edit
- savoir-faire in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
Portuguese edit
Etymology edit
Unadapted borrowing from French savoir-faire. Doublet of saber-fazer.
Noun edit
savoir-faire m (invariable)
- know-how
- Synonyms: saber-fazer, know-how
Swedish edit
Etymology edit
Unadapted borrowing from French savoir-faire.
Noun edit
savoir-faire
- savoir-faire; know-how
- 2003 July 24, “Den medskyldige turisten [The complicit tourist]”, in Dagens Nyheter:
- Till ytan handlar historien om lokalbefolkningens opålitlighet (ett vanligt tema i den koloniala litteraturen), men djupare sett handlar den om deras savoir-faire och överlevnadskonst, ja, egentligen om deras nyktra inställning till världen.
- On the surface, the story is about the native people's unreliability (a common theme in colonial literature), but deeper it is about their savoir-faire and art of survival, well, really about their sober approach to the world.
- 2011 April 10, Clemens Poellinger, “Antikbranschens webbhallar här för att stanna [The antiques sector's web halls are here to stay]”, in Svenska Dagbladet:
- Med lite savoir-faire – genom att undvika allt som är moderiktigt eller Brommafint och därför blir dyrt; snyggt 50- och 60-tal, dansk design, Svenskt Tenn etcetera, går det att köpa möbler tillverkade av riktigt trä av riktiga snickare till priser som ett par Acnejeans.
- With a little know-how – by avoiding everything that is fashionable or Bromma Fine and therefore expensive; stylish 50s and 60s, Danish design, Svenskt Tenn etcetera, it is possible to buy furniture made of real wood by real carpenters at prices like a pair of Acne jeans.