Raison d'être

From Fresh Dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun phrase 1.3.1 Usage note 1.3.2 Related terms 2 French 2.1 Pronunciation 2.2 Noun phrase

English

Etymology

French raison d'être.

Pronunciation

IPA: /'reɪzɔ̃ dɛtrə/ (or as French, below)

Noun phrase

Singular raison d'être

Plural raisons d'être

1. The claimed reason for the existence of something or someone; the purpose of something or someone.

   Surfing became his raison d’être.

Usage note

• As this is a foreign phrase, it is usually written in italics.

Related terms

• be-all and end-all

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French

Pronunciation

IPA: /ʀɛzɔ̃ dɛtʀ/

Noun phrase

raison d’être

1. raison d'êtreda:raison d'être