savoir-vivre

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French savoir-vivre.

Noun

savoir-vivre (uncountable)

1. Familiarity with the customs of polite society.
   • 2018 June 28, Phil Daoust, “Never mind the Brexiteurs: why it’s time to learn French”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     Like it or not, we are more invested in France, which has come to epitomise culture, good taste, style and savoir-vivre – even though that reverence is the product of ignorance as much as familiarity.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa.vwaʁ.vivʁ/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

savoir-vivre m (uncountable)

1. politesse, courtesy

   Il manque de savoir-vivre

   He lacks politesse.

Further reading

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

Italian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French savoir-vivre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saˌvwarˈvivr/
• Rhymes: -ivr

Noun

savoir-vivre m (uncountable)

1. savoir-vivre

Related terms

• savoir-faire

Further reading

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

Polish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French savoir-vivre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa.vuˈar ˈvivr/
• Rhymes: -arvivr
• Syllabification: sa‧vo‧ir‧-vivre

Noun

savoir-vivre m inan

1. savoir-vivre

   Synonym: bon ton

Declension

Declension of savoir-vivre

	singular
nominative	savoir-vivre
genitive	savoir-vivre'u
dative	savoir-vivre'owi
accusative	savoir-vivre
instrumental	savoir-vivre'em
locative	savoir-vivrze
vocative	savoir-vivrze

or

Indeclinable.

Further reading

• savoir-vivre in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• savoir-vivre in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Swedish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French savoir-vivre.

Noun

savoir-vivre

1. Alternative form of savoir vivre.
   • 1897, Axel Kerfve, Carl XV. Kvinnornas kung I, page 96:

     Siri Silfvercreutz presenterades för åtskilliga såväl herrar som damer, bland hvilka hon särskildt fäste sig vid en ung flicka, som hon en tid varit pensionskamrat med i Christianstad, men som sedan af sina rika föräldrar skickats till hufvudstaden för att lära sig mer savoir-vivre i den högre stilen, än hvad en landsortsstad, äfven af Christianstads betydenhet, kunde bjuda det uppväxande slägtet.

     Siri Silfvercreutz was introduced to several gentlemen as well as ladies, among whom she particularly attached herself to a young girl, with whom she had been a dormitory friend for some time in Christianstad, but who had since been sent by her wealthy parents to the capital to learn more savoir-vivre in the higher style than what a country town, even of Christianstad's importance, could offer the growing family.

See also

• savoir-faire (“savoir-faire; know-how”)

References

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