savoir-faire
sav-wahr-FAIR
/ˌsævwɑː ˈfeə/
The ability to act or speak appropriately in any social situation; social tact and adaptability.
Refers to instinctual, effortless social grace and poise under pressure.
The story behind the word. Borrowed directly from French, literally translating to 'knowing how to do'. It entered English in the 19th century as a loanword for supreme social poise.
Word relationships
- tact: Tact is careful avoidance of offense, while savoir-faire is complete mastery of complex social situations.
- awkwardness: Awkwardness means lacking grace or skill in social interaction.
Commonly confused with
- savoir-vivre: Savoir-faire is knowing how to act; savoir-vivre is knowing how to enjoy fine living.
Collocations
- social savoir-faire
- considerable savoir-faire
- display savoir-faire
Example sentences
- "With her natural savoir-faire, she calmed the panicked hosts and restructured the evening effortlessly." Memoir
Memory hook
SAVOIR (save) + FAIRE (fair) = saves the fair event with smooth social tact. Knowing how to handle any social room.
When not to use
Do not use for technical manual skill or physical labor.
Fun facts
- It is one of many French loanwords adopted into English specifically to capture nuanced social etiquette.
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