savoir-faire

[ sav-wahr-fair; French sa-vwar-fer ]

/ ˈsæv wɑrˈfɛər; French sa vwarˈfɛr /

knowledge of just what to do in any situation; tact.

Origin of savoir-faire

1805–15; < French: literally, knowing how to do

Pamela was beautifully bred; she had savoir-faire as well as kindness, and never lost control of herself.

Dangerous Ages |Rose Macaulay
Another requisite for the popular girl is savoir-faire; she must know how to do things.

Harper's Round Table, October 29, 1895 |Various
No; he surely hadn't meant admiration for her savoir-faire; yet, for some reason, Missy didn't feel disappointed.

Missy |Dana Gatlin
The savoir-faire which would have helped some men to take the rebuke entirely deserted him.

The Drunkard |Cyril Arthur Edward Ranger Gull

Determined that never again, even to herself, should she call me a boy, I summoned to my aid all the savoir-faire I could command.

The Rose of Old St. Louis |Mary Dillon

savoir-faire

/ (ˈsævwɑːˈfɛə) /

the ability to do the right thing in any situation

French, literally: a knowing how to do