know-how

See also: knowhow and Know-how

English

Alternative forms

• knowhow

Etymology

Deverbal from know how.^[1] American English, 1838.^[2][3]

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈnəʊ.haʊ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈnoʊ.haʊ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: (UK) -əʊhaʊ, (US) -oʊhaʊ
• Homophone: nohow

Noun

know-how (uncountable)

1. The knowledge and skill to be able to (do something correctly).

   Synonym: expertise

   Marlo has the know-how to fix your computer.

   • 2008 April 20, G. Pascal Zachary, “How Scientific Gains Abroad Pay Off in the U.S.”, in New York Times‎:

     American innovators — with their world-class strengths in product design, marketing and finance — may have a historic opportunity to convert the scientific know-how from abroad into market gains and profits. Mr. Hill views the transition to “the postscientific society” as an unrecognized bonus for American creators of new products and services.

Derived terms

• snow-how

Descendants

• → Danish: know-how
• → Dutch: knowhow
• → Finnish: know-how
• → German: Know-how
• → Italian: know-how
• → Japanese: ノウハウ (nōhau)
• → Portuguese: know-how
• → Russian: ноу-хау (nou-xau)
• → Spanish: know-how
• → Swedish: know-how
• → Thai: โนว์ฮาว

Translations

the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly

Arabic: دِرَايَة f (dirāya), بَرَاعَة f (barāʕa), مَهَارَة f (mahāra), حِذْق m (ḥiḏq) Bulgarian: умение (bg) n (umenie), вещина (bg) f (veština), ноу-хау (nou-hau) Chinese: Mandarin: 技巧 (zh) (jìqiǎo), 技能 (zh) (jìnéng), 知識／知识 (zh) (zhīshi) Danish: sagkundskab c, know-how c Esperanto: scipovo Estonian: oskusteave Finnish: tietotaito, know-how (fi), osaaminen (fi) French: savoir-faire (fr) Georgian: ნოუ ჰაუ (nou hau), ნოუ-ჰაუ (nou-hau), იცოდე როგორ (icode rogor) (know how [to do something]) German: Fachwissen (de), Sachkenntnis (de) n, Know-how (de) n Hindi: व्यवहार-ज्ञान m (vyavhār-jñān) Italian: conoscenza (it) f, sapere fare m Japanese: ノウハウ (ja) (nōhau) Korean: 노하우 (ko) (nohau) Macedonian: спо́собност f (spósobnost), ве́штина f (véština) Persian: مهارت (fa) (mahârat), دانش (fa) (dâneš) Polish: know-how (pl) n Portuguese: saber-fazer (pt) m, savoir-faire (pt) m, know-how (pt) m Russian: ноу-ха́у (ru) n (nou-xáu) (indeclinable) Spanish: know-how m, saber hacer (es) m Swedish: sakkunskap (sv) c, know-how (sv) Thai: โนว์ฮาว (th) Ukrainian: ноу-ха́у n (nou-xáu)

References

1. “know-how, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
2. Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “know-how”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
3. “know-how”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Further reading

• “know-how”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “know-how”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Finnish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English know-how

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈknou̯hɑu/, [ˈkno̞u̯ɦɑ̝u]

Noun

know-how

1. know-how

Synonyms

• tietotaito
• osaaminen

Further reading

• “know-how”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

Italian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English know-how.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /noˈaw/, /noˈwaw/, (careful style) /noˈhaw/^[1]
• Rhymes: -aw

Noun

know-how m (invariable)

1. know-how

References

1. know how in Luciano Canepari, Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English know-how.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈno(w).ʁaw/ [ˈno(ʊ̯).haʊ̯]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈno(w).ʁaw/ [ˈno(ʊ̯).haʊ̯]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ˈno(w).ʁaw/ [ˈno(ʊ̯).χaʊ̯]

Noun

know-how m (plural know-hows)

1. know-how

   Synonyms: saber-fazer, savoir-faire

   • 2006, Daniela Zaitz, Direito & know-how, Jurua Editora, →ISBN, page 31:

     Outro tipo de conceitualização é aquela dada por François Magnin, que tenta sistematizar as diversas definições de know-how analisando a quais elementos a expressão se aplicaria. O autor conclui que podem ser objeto do know-how quatro tipos de elementos, considerados isoladamente ou em conjunto: a habilidade técnica, a experiência técnica, os conhecimentos técnicos e os processos.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2007, Ram Charan, Know-how: as 8 competências que separam os que fazem dos que não fazem, Elsevier Brasil, →ISBN, page 74:

     É necessário ter know-how para penetrar no caos organizado que existe na maior parte das empresas e concentrar-se no conjunto de elementos cruciais.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2007, R. Kelly Rainer Jr., Casey G. Cegielski, Introdução a Sistemas de Informação: Apoiando e transformando negócios na era da mobilidade, Elsevier Brasil, →ISBN, page 130:

     O conhecimento é criado conforme as pessoas determinam novas maneiras de fazer as coisas ou desenvolvem know-how. Algumas vezes, acrescenta-se conhecimento externo.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Romanian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English know-how.

Noun

know-how n (uncountable)

1. know-how

Declension

	singular
n gender	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) know-how	know-howul
genitive/dative	(unui) know-how	know-howului
vocative	know-howule

declension of know-how (singular only)