raison d'etre

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rai·son d'ê·tre

(rā′zōn dĕt′rə, rĕ-zôN)

n. pl. rai·sons d'être (rā′zōn, rĕ-zôN)

Reason or justification for existing.

[French : raison, reason + de, of, for + être, to be.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

raison d'être

(rɛzɔ̃ dɛtrə)

n, pl raisons d'être (rɛzɔ̃ dɛtrə)

reason or justification for existence

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

raison d'être

A French phrase meaning reason for being, used to mean a reason or justification for the existence of something or someone.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	raison d'etre - reason for being rationalization, rationalisation - the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason
	2.	raison d'etre - the purpose that justifies a thing's existence function, purpose, use, role - what something is used for; "the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?"

Translations

raison d'être

[ˈreɪzɔːnˈdɛːtr] N → razón f de ser

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

raison d'être

[ˌreɪz#xf5;ːnˈdeɪtr/ə] n → ragione f di vita

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

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References in periodicals archive ?

The raison d'etre of the Scottish National Party is to seek the return of independence to the Scottish nation, this is therefore mandated by whatever electoral system used.

Flawed analysis of election results; Letters to the editor Write to: Letters to the editor, The Press and Journal, 1 Marischal Square, Broad Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1BL. email: pj.letters@ajl.co.uk All letters are subject to editing and must include your full address and daytime telephone number for verification. Thank you

Summary: You, the reader, are our raison d'etre, and we endeavour to meet your expectations.

The art of balanced journalism in a polarised world

Such is not the raison d'etre of diplomacy: quite the contrary.

Not exactly diplomatic

After a stormy Knesset summer session that touched on the foundations of the Jewish State's raison d'etre, it will be especially important for the Knesset to go to bat in the playing field of democracy during its winter session.

Outflanking the High Court from the right

It tells the story of mystical Maquia (voiced by Manaka Iwami), a 400-year-old orphaned lorph who finds her raison d'etre when she stumbles into Ariel (Miyu Irino), a newborn baby boy wrapped tightly in the protective arms of his dead mother, then raises him as her own.

Love, interrupted

Why was Pakistan created and what was the raison d'etre of this nation has been mystified with time; nay even the realities have changed.

New Pakistan

In my opinion, it is not a good idea to install technocrats in ministries because they don't have any public support, the raison d'etre of a democratic state.

Viability of Technocracy

"On 'Legends' we have an idea for what I will call the (https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=raison+d%E2%80%99etre&oq=raison+d%E2%80%99etre&aqs=chrome..69i57.318j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) raison d'etre of Season 4," Guggenheim told (http://comicbook.com/dc/2017/12/11/arrow-legends-of-tomorrow-new-season-plans-guggenheim/) ComicBook.com .

'Legends Of Tomorrow' EP Talks Potential Season 4

We know it is Madge's raison d'etre to shock but we're really surprised her kids let her out the door looking like this.

dressed in the dark

C'est un debat qui n'a aucune raison d'etre [beaucoup plus grand que], estime-t-il.

echos du forum

REAL estate developers Cayan Group has entered into a strategic partnership with Swedish company Raison d'Etre, a creator, owner and manager of luxury spas for prestigious international hotels, to develop the upscale LivNordic Spa by Raison d'Etre at the Cayan Tower in Dubai Marina.

Nordic spa finds Dubai home

Cayan Group, one of the Middle East's leading real estate developers, has partnered with Swedish company Raison d'Etre - creator, owner and manager of luxury spas for prestigious international hotels - to develop the upscale LivNordic Spa at the Cayan Tower in Dubai Marina, UAE.