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Raison d'être: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Raison d'être noun. The most important reason for someone's or something's existence.
How to say it
ray-zon DET-ruh/ˌreɪzɒ̃ ˈdɛtr(ə)/
4 syllables, stressed on the third (DET).
Raison d'être in a sentence
Gardening became her raison d'être after she retired.
A pub without beer would lose its whole raison d'être.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- purpose
- reason
- point
- calling
Where raison d'être comes from
French for reason for being.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
A pub without beer would lose its whole _____.
- raison d'être
- weltschmerz
- saudade
Show the answer
raison d'être: A pub without beer would lose its whole raison d'être.