savoir-faire

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French savoir-faire (“know-how”), from savoir (“to know (how)”) + faire (“to do”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌsævwɑːˈfɛə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌsævwɑɹˈfɛɹ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

savoir-faire (uncountable)

1. The ability to do or say what is appropriate for the occasion.

   Synonym: know-how

   • 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.

   • 1983, Anne Volokh, “Acknowledgments”, in The Art of Russian Cuisine, New York, N.Y.: Macmillan Publishing Company, →ISBN, copyright page:

     I am also deeply thankful to my editor Judy Knipe, whose savoir-faire and perfectionism gave the book its final polish and shape.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa.vwaʁ.fɛʁ/

• Audio (France):

  (file)

Noun

savoir-faire m (uncountable)

1. know-how, savoir-faire

Descendants

• → English: savoir-faire
• → Italian: savoir-faire
• → Portuguese: savoir-faire, → saber-fazer (calque)

See also

• savoir-vivre
• savoir-être

Further reading

• “savoir-faire”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• faire savoir
• favoriserai

Italian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French savoir-faire (“know-how”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saˌvwarˈfɛr/
• Rhymes: -ɛr

Noun

savoir-faire m (uncountable)

1. savoir-faire

Related terms

• savoir-vivre

Further reading

• savoir-faire in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French savoir-faire. Doublet of saber-fazer.

Noun

savoir-faire m (invariable)

1. know-how

   Synonyms: saber-fazer, know-how

Swedish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French savoir-faire.

Noun

savoir-faire

1. 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.

See also

• savoir-vivre

References

• savoir-faire in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• savoir-faire in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)