English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
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adj

savvy

SAV-ee
adj
1
Shrewd and well-informed, especially about practical matters.
"A savvy investor knows when to hold and when to sell."
"The savvy shopper always compares prices first."
noun
1
Practical knowledge or common sense about a subject.
"Her business savvy helped the startup survive its first year."
verb
1
To understand (informal).
"You savvy what I'm saying?"

How to Use Savvy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishPractical smarts, or being shrewd and street-wise about something.

Common pairings
tech-savvy street savvy business savvy

Word Forms

savvier comparative, savvied past tense, savvies singular, savviest superlative

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A _____ investor knows when to hold and when to sell.

Etymology

From a pidgin form of "know," ultimately from Portuguese/Spanish saber, "to know," from Latin sapere, "to taste, to know."

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial