savvy

1 of 3

adjective

sav·​vy ˈsa-vē How to pronounce savvy (audio)
savvier; savviest
: having or showing perception, comprehension, or shrewdness especially in practical matters
savvily adverb
savviness noun

savvy

2 of 3

noun

: practical know-how
political savvy

savvy

3 of 3

verb

savvied; savvying

Did you know?

While the noun savvy, meaning "practical know-how" (as in "her political savvy"), and the adjective use (as in "a savvy investor") are more common, the verb savvy is the oldest of the trio. (If you associate it with Captain Jack Sparrow of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, you'll be pleased to know his use—as in, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?"—is not anachronistic; the verb was the only savvy option extant in the movies' early 18th-century setting.) Current evidence dates the verb savvy to the late 17th century, when English speakers altered a word—sabi, meaning "know"—they were hearing in English-based creoles and pidgins (a pidgin is a simplified language or dialect that speakers of different languages use to communicate with one another; a creole is a language that evolves from a pidgin to become a native language for a speech community). Sabi has its roots in Portuguese sabe, meaning "he knows," and it ultimately comes from Latin sapere, meaning "to be wise."

Examples of savvy in a Sentence

Adjective She's a very savvy investor. He is savvy about computers. Noun she's an excellent scholar of political science, but lacks the kind of savvy needed to run for public office Verb the man growled, “Don't ever date my daughter again—you savvy?”
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Beyond his involvement in media, Koo has diversified his interests into other lucrative ventures, including his acquisition of a high-end Chinese restaurant, Ming House, as well as savvy real estate investments. Faye Bradley, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024 Almost immediately, a savvy royal watcher found a 2016 image of Kate, which appears to map onto the paparazzi snap with suggestive precision. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2024 To his knowledge, Bell is a savvy businessman, so when his account promises a 350 percent return in mere weeks, the therapist takes the leap. Jordan P. Hickey, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 In the months ahead, savvy private investors should watch for the ripple effects of this unprecedented government investment and prepare to deploy their capital in these new ways. Margret Trilli, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 The current imbroglio is exposing that the royal family isn’t half as savvy or strategic as people are led to believe, nor as singularly focused on preserving the Crown. Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 With sky-high rents and a challenging job market, investing in luxury has become a more distant dream than ever for millennials and Gen Z. Enter secondhand marketplaces, the hot destination for savvy spenders with a taste for the finer things in life. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 3 Mar. 2024 And not just small side hustles, as many savvy entrepreneurs are making serious money with their mobile devices. Goldie Chan, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Singapore’s neighbors are now wondering whether this is the result of a savvy play from its government. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
Even in death, his sense of humor and pop-culture savvy surfaced. Nathan Hodge, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 The same savvy will come in time for fake videos, Ms. Newman predicts. Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb. 2024 Even with the fundraising and political savvy among the organizers, success is not likely to come easy: Allen has been overwhelmingly reelected twice since winning the seat in 2014. Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2024 Bitton’s savvy also extends to recognizing a moment’s significance — and paradoxically, sometimes even for what the moment is not. Pamela Chelin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Teasing is also impressive, demanding social savvy and foresight: To push past others’ psychological limits, successful provocateurs must be intimately familiar with them. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2024 Veteran members of Congress are more likely to have influence within their own party and across the aisle, expertise on the most critical issues facing the nation and the savvy to shepherd legislation. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023 And the technological savvy of young digital natives bolsters scientific research on new weather patterns and changes that have upended ancestral knowledge. Sara Miller Llana, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Dec. 2023 For nearly two decades, Swift has reinvented herself at a Madonna-like pace, bending genres and redefining the music business with her marketing savvy. Jeff Nelson, Peoplemag, 5 Dec. 2023
Verb
Comprised of side-by-side snapshots of high-fashion runways and Barbie doll outfits, the book takes a closer look at just how style savvy your favorite doll has always been. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 15 Aug. 2023 The Giants were knocked coming into the season for having the oldest roster in baseball, but as their remarkable season unfurled and the veterans flourished, the narrative shifted to admiration for the leadership and savvy the older players provided. Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Oct. 2021 But then, that’s Hardy in a nutshell: capable of writing the big hits for radio, obstinate enough to do something completely unexpected, and savvy enough to find the throughline for it all. Jon Freeman, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2023 Consider the sage and savvy Cruz a $1 million guardrail for Tatis, a $340 million investment. Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2023 This wiped out $80 billion in value, whacking some hedge funds and lots of individuals, neither savvy enough to see the bubble. Andy Kessler, WSJ, 9 Nov. 2022 Much of that comes from his experience and savvy as a runner, which will only continue to get better with age. Dallas News, 4 Aug. 2022 Its transformation into a key U.S. hub for semiconductor manufacturing is made possible by natural resources, infrastructure and savvy local leadership, but also by a business-friendly tradition dating back decades. Dallas News, 3 July 2022 Our annual guide to savvy gift-giving for discerning readers of all ages, interests and attention spans, selected by The Wall Street Journal’s reviewers. Wsj Books Staff, WSJ, 17 Nov. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'savvy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of sabi know (in English-based creoles and pidgins), from Portuguese sabe he knows, from saber to know, from Latin sapere to be wise — more at sage

First Known Use

Adjective

1826, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1785, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1686, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of savvy was in 1686

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Cite this Entry

“Savvy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savvy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

savvy

1 of 3 verb
sav·​vy ˈsav-ē How to pronounce savvy (audio)
savvied; savvying

savvy

2 of 3 noun
: useful understanding : shrewdness

savvy

3 of 3 adjective
savvier; savviest
: having a practical understanding or knowledge of something
a savvy stock market investor

More from Merriam-Webster on savvy

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