Question

Choose the correct meaning of the given phrase.
Raison d’etre

a)logical conclusion
b)reason for existence
c)free choice
d)dubious argument

Answer 1

Hint: The phrase ‘raison d’etre’ is a French phrase. It has a similar meaning to the word ‘purpose’.

Complete answer:

 A lot of words used in the English language have their origins in French. Both languages are influenced by Latin. More than 10,000 French words have found their way into English over centuries.
For example, the word ‘allowance’ comes from the Old French word ‘alouance’ meaning ‘payment’. The word ‘bureau’ which is also commonly used in English is derived from the French word ‘bureau’ meaning ‘desk’ or ‘office’.

The phrase ‘raison d’etre’ is a phrase commonly used in French that was borrowed into English. Its literal translation is ‘reason of being’ or ‘reason to be’.
It can be used in a sentence as follows:
‘Eating good food is my raison d’etre’, meaning eating good food is the subject’s purpose.

Now, we know its meaning and usage. Let’s look at our available options:

a)logical conclusion - This is not the exact meaning of the given phrase. So, this is an incorrect option.
b)reason for existence - This is the exact meaning of the given phrase. So, this is the correct option.
c)free choice - This is not the meaning of the given phrase. So, this is an incorrect option.
d)dubious argument - This is not the exact meaning of the given phrase. So, this is also an incorrect option.

Note: Try to identify a similar word to ‘raison’ from the given options. Do not forget to differentiate between the given options and choose the one that has the exact same meaning as the given phrase.