raison d'être - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

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raison d'être

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Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
raison d'être /ˌreɪzɒ̃ ˈdɛtrə/

▶noun (pl. raisons d'être pronunc. same) the most important reason or purpose for someone or something's existence.

– origin Fr., lit. ‘reason for being’.

'raison d'être' also found in these Oxford entries:

Forum discussions with the word(s) "raison d'être" in the title:

Bottom line or raison d'être?
Raison d'être

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