savoir-faire means the ability to do or say what is appropriate for the occasion. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
savoir-faire is pronounced /ˌsævwɑːˈfɛə/.
Why “savoir-faire” is a great word
SAVOIR-FAIRE — [Noun] The instinctive knowledge of and ability to act appropriately in any social situation. Borrowed from French savoir-faire, literally 'know-how', from savoir ('to know (how)') + faire ('to do'). Unlike tact, which is a narrow diplomacy of speech to avoid offense, or mere competence, which denotes a general and often technical skill, savoir-faire is the effortless, pre-conscious grace of one who navigates the world as if it were a well-rehearsed dance. It is the unerring selection of the correct fork from a bewildering array, the perfectly timed, self-deprecating anecdote that defuses a tension no one named, and the quiet confidence that can enter a room without disturbing the air. It is the poise of the perfectly socialized human, performing the quiet choreography that holds civilized life together.
noun
- The ability to do or say what is appropriate for the occasion.“Dr. Brighton-Pomfrey had the savoir-faire of a successful consultant; he prided himself on being all things to all men; but just for an instant he was at a loss what sort of thing he had to be here.”