savvy

savvy
savvy 1785, as a noun, "practical sense, intelligence;" also a verb, "to know, to understand;" West Indies pidgin borrowing of Fr. savez(-vous)? "do you know?" or Sp. sabe (usted) "you know," both from V.L. *sapere, from L. sapere "be wise, be knowing" (see SAPIENT (Cf. sapient)). The adj. is first recorded 1905, from the noun. Related: Savviness.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • savvy — sav‧vy [ˈsævi] noun [uncountable] informal practical knowledge and experience: • Her marketing savvy is exactly what this job requires. savvy adjective [only before a noun] : • Savvy investors will do more than go for companies with straight A… …   Financial and business terms

  • Savvy — can refer to:*Proton Savvy, a supermini car *Intelligence or common sense *Savvy Records, a record label …   Wikipedia

  • savvy — [adj] shrewd acute, astute, brainy*, cagey*, calculating, canny, clever, crafty, cunning, discerning, experienced, farsighted, foxy*, heady*, ingenious, intelligent, in the know*, judicious, keen, knowing, on the ball*, perceptive, sagacious,… …   New thesaurus

  • Savvy — Sav vy, Savvey Sav vey, v. t. & i. [Written also {savey}.] [Sp. saber to know, sabe usted do you know?] To understand; to comprehend; know. [Slang, U. S.] [Webster 1913 Suppl.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Savvy — Sav vy, Savvey Sav vey, n. Comprehension; knowledge of affairs; mental grasp; also, practical know how; common sense. [Slang, U. S.] also adj. knowledgeable; well informed; clever; canny; wise. [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • savvy — informal ► NOUN ▪ shrewdness. ► VERB (savvies, savvied) ▪ know or understand. ► ADJECTIVE (savvier, savviest) ▪ shrewd and knowledgeable. ORIGIN …   English terms dictionary

  • savvy — [sav′ē] vi. savvied, savvying [< one or more varieties of Pidgin English < Portuguese sabe, 3rd pers. sing. of saber, to know < L sapere: see SAP1] Slang to understand; get the idea n. Informal 1. shrewdness or understanding 2. know how… …   English World dictionary

  • savvy — [“saevi] 1. tv. & in. to understand (someone or something). (Adapted from Spanish sabe, he knows.) □ Do you savvy? □ Can you savvy at all what I am trying to tell you? □ I just can’t savvy stuff like that. 2. n. knowledge; know how …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • savvy — n. knowledge (colloq.) 1) to demonstrate savvy 2) political savvy (to demonstrate considerable political savvy) * * * [ sævɪ] [ knowledge ] (colloq.) to demonstrate savvy political savvy (to demonstrate considerable political savvy) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • savvy — sav|vy1 [ˈsævi] n [U] informal [Date: 1800 1900; Origin: savvy to know (18 21 centuries), from Spanish sabe he or she knows , from saber to know ] practical knowledge and ability ▪ He s obviously got a lot of political savvy. savvy 2 savvy2 adj… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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