# raison d'être

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌɹeɪzɒ̃ ˈdɛtɹə/

## Definitions
1. A reason for being; the claimed reason for the existence of something or someone; the sole or ultimate purpose of something or someone.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French raison d'être (literally “a reason to be”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/raison-d-etre