First Known Use: 1815
Dictionary
savoir faire
noun sa·voir faire \ˌsav-ˌwär-ˈfer\
: the ability to behave in a correct and confident way in different situations
Full Definition of SAVOIR FAIRE
: capacity for appropriate action; especially : a polished sureness in social behavior
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Origin of SAVOIR FAIRE
French savoir-faire, literally, knowing how to do
Synonym Discussion of SAVOIR FAIRE
tact, address, poise, savoir faire mean skill and grace in dealing with others. tact implies delicate and considerate perception of what is appropriate <questions showing a lack of tact>. address stresses dexterity and grace in dealing with new and trying situations and may imply success in attaining one's ends <brought it off with remarkable address>. poise may imply both tact and address but stresses self-possession and ease in meeting difficult situations <answered the accusations with unruffled poise>. savoir faire is likely to stress worldly experience and a sure awareness of what is proper or expedient <the savoir faire of a seasoned traveler>.
Rhymes with SAVOIR FAIRE
aftercare, agate ware, air-to-air, antiair, anywhere, arctic hare, Asian pear, bayadere, bêche-de-mer, Belgian hare, billionaire, boutonniere, bring to bear, camel hair, Camembert, captain's chair, chinaware, compressed air, county fair, crackleware, Croix de Guerre, cultivar, debonair, de la Mare, derriere, dinnerware, disrepair, doctrinaire, earthenware, easy chair, en plein air, étagère, everywhere, fighting chair, flying mare, fourragère, Frigidaire, germ warfare, get somewhere, graniteware, grizzly bear, here and there, hide or hair, hollowware, ice-cream chair, in one's hair, in the air, ironware, jasperware, kitchenware, La Bruyère, lacquerware, laissez-faire, Latin square, legionnaire, lion's share, Little Bear, love affair, luminaire, lusterware, magic square, mal de mer, managed care, market share, Medicare, metalware, millionaire, minaudière, miter square, Mon-Khmer, morris chair, Mousquetaire, nom de guerre, on the square, open-air, otherwhere, outerwear, overbear, overwear, perfect square, plasticware, polar bear, potty-chair, porte cochere, prickly pear, questionnaire, rivière, Robespierre, rocking chair, science fair, self-aware, self-despair, silverware, slipper chair, snowshoe hare, solar flare, solitaire, swivel chair, tableware, tear one's hair, then and there, thoroughfare, trench warfare, unaware, underwear, vaporware, vivandière, wash-and-wear, water bear, wear and tear, willowware, woodenware, world premiere, yellowware, zillionaire
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