raison d’etre

== English == === Alternative forms === raison d'etre === Etymology === Borrowed from French raison d'être (literally “a reason to be/exist”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌɹeɪzɒ̃ ˈdɛtɹə/, /ˌɹɛzɒ̃ ˈdɛtɹə/, /ˌɹeɪzɒn ˈdɛtɹə/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˌɹeɪzɑn ˈdɛtɹə/ === Noun === raison d'être (plural raisons d'être or raison d'être or (nonstandard) raison d'êtres) A reason for being; the claimed reason for the existence of something or someone; the sole or ultimate purpose of something or someone. 1966, Maurice Godelier, Rationality and irrationality in economics, London, published by Francois Maspero, pg. 317 (quoted in Michael W. Coy, "Tugen Monopoly: Capitalism and Conflict in the Mountains of Kenya," Anthropology & Humanism Quarterly, Vol. 13, No. 2, 1988, pg. 41, Full article - .pdf): These raison d'etre and this evolution are not merely the achievement of men's conscious activity but are the unintentional results of their social activity. 2003, Seta Fumihiko, Kim Chang-Gi, Lai Shen-Chiang and Onishi Takashi, Abstract for "A Study on the Transition of National Development Strategies in Korea, Taiwan and Japan, Characterized by Developmentalism" (「開発主義に特徴付けられた 日本・台湾・韓国の国土開発戦略の変遷についての一考察」), full paper is pp. 52-61 of "Proceedings", International Symposium on City Planning 2003, The City Planning Institute of Japan, Sapporo, Japan, Abstract: National development plans and programs are in particular under harsh discussions and criticism including these raison d'etre in some countries, for these plans and programs have supported construction of rather inefficient infrastructure in less-development area. 2007, Chambi Chachage, "Bringing African Studies Back to Africa: Beyond the ‘African-Africanist’ Divides," paper prepared for the 2nd AEGIS Conference on African Studies (ECAS) at the African Studies Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands, 11-14th July, 2007 (Abstract, Full paper - .doc): With hindsight knowledge, it is interesting to note that these three raison d’etre and their ramifications were situated in a broader context of contestations over the whole enterprise of knowledge production and consumption. ==== Usage notes ==== As with other terms that were originally introduced as foreign loanwords but have been substantially naturalized into English, this term sometimes is italicized but often is not. ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== be-all and end-all my everything raison d'état ikigai === References === === Anagrams === noise trader, risedronate == Dutch == === Etymology === Borrowed from French raison d'être. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /rɛˌzɔnˈdɛːtrə/ === Noun === raison d'être f (uncountable, no diminutive) raison d'être == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ʁɛ.zɔ̃ d‿ɛtʁ/ ~ /ʁe.zɔ̃ d‿ɛtʁ/ === Noun === raison d'être f (plural raisons d'être) raison d'être === Anagrams === détrônerais == Indonesian == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from French raison d'être (literally “reason to be”). === Noun === raison d'être raison d'être Synonym: ikigai === Further reading === “raison d'être”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016 == Portuguese == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from French raison d'être. === Noun === raison d'être f (plural raisons d'être) raison d'être (reason for existence) Synonym: razão de ser == Swedish == === Noun === raison d'être n (higher register) raison d'être Synonym: existensberättigande === References === “raison d'être”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)