raison d'être

[ rey-zohn de-truh; French re-zawn de-truh ]

noun

, plural rai·sons d'ê·tre [rey, -zohnz , de, -tr, uh, r, e-zaw, n, , de, -t, r, uh].

1. reason or justification for being or existence:

   Art is the artist's raison d'être.

raison d'être

/ rɛzɔ̃ dɛtrə /

noun

1. reason or justification for existence

raison d'être

1. A basic, essential purpose; a reason to exist: “Professor Naylor argues that in the nuclear age, infantry forces have lost their raison d'être.” From French, meaning “reason for being.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of raison d'être¹

Borrowed into English from French around 1865–70

Example Sentences

The Trump-Vance culture wars, as advanced by Republicans in Congress, are but a ruse, a public relations beard to disguise the GOP’s true raison d'etre: the protection of wealth.

From Salon

But as he once said, his true raison d'etre is "to suck blood and to f**k forever," although he forgot to add anytime anyplace.

From Salon

But some serving and recently retired RAF officers, who the BBC has spoken to, question whether he has lost sight of the raison d'etre of the RAF - to fight and win wars?

From BBC

In future, it will also have responsibility for the climate issues that are the Greens' raison d'etre.

From Reuters

That is his raison d'etre and has been for quite some time.

From Salon