raison d'être
[ rey-zohn de-truh; French re-zawn de-truh ]
/ ˈreɪ zoʊn ˈdɛ trə; French rɛ zɔ̃ ˈdɛ trə /
noun, plural rai·sons d'ê·tre [rey-zohnz de-truh; French re-zawn de-truh] /ˈreɪ zoʊnz ˈdɛ trə; French rɛ zɔ̃ ˈdɛ trə/.
reason or justification for being or existence: Art is the artist's raison d'être.
Origin of raison d'être
Borrowed into English from French around 1865–70
Words nearby raison d'être
raisin,
raisin river,
raising,
raising plate,
raison d'état,
raison d'être,
raisonneur,
raita,
raj,
raja yoga,
rajab
British Dictionary definitions for raison d'etre
raison d'être
/ French (rɛzɔ̃ dɛtrə) /
noun plural raisons d'être (rɛzɔ̃ dɛtrə)
reason or justification for existence
Cultural definitions for raison d'etre
raison d'être
[ (ray-zohnn det-ruh) ]
A basic, essential purpose; a reason to exist: “Professor Naylor argues that in the nuclear age, infantry forces have lost their raison d'être.” From French, meaning “reason for being.”