know-how en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈnəʊ.haʊ/ (UK)
- /ˈnoʊ.haʊ/ (US)
- /ˈnaː.huː/ (Northumbria)
- (US) audio
Etymology
Deverbal from know how. American English, 1838.
Meanings
-
(uncountable) The knowledge and skill to be able to (do something correctly).
Today this situation has — at least in theory — been reversed in a startling way because the main source of wealth is no longer natural resources but scientific knowledge and technological know-how that has been accumulated incrementally since the advent of civilization.
1989, L. S. Stavrianos, Lifelines from Our Past: A New World History, New York: Pantheon Books, page 237:Marlo has the know-how to fix your computer.
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.
2008 April 20, G. Pascal Zachary, “How Scientific Gains Abroad Pay Off in the U.S.”, in New York Times:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| knowhow | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Descendants
know-how · know-how · know-how · Know-how · โนว์ฮาว · ноу-хау · know-how · know-how · ノウハウ · know-how · knowhow
Synonyms
Translations (47)
ja ノウハウ (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · ka ნოუ ჰაუ (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · hi व्यवहार-ज्ञान (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · th โนว์ฮาว (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · ar دِرَايَة (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · fi know-how (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · da sagkundskab (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · pt know-how (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · de Know-how (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · ka იცოდე როგორ (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · es know-how (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · fa دانش (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · ar مَهَارَة (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · es noujáu (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · da know-how (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · bg умение (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · bg вещина (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · ka ნოუ-ჰაუ (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · fi tietotaito (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · ru ноу-ха́у (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · pl know-how (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · cmn 知識 /知识 (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · sv know-how (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · it conoscenza (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · bg ноу-хау (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · fr savoir-faire (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · eo scipovo (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · ar بَرَاعَة (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · cmn 技能 (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · pt savoir-faire (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · cmn 技巧 (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · mk ве́штина (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · fa مهارت (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · sv sakkunskap (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · es know how (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · es saber hacer (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · it sapere fare (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · ar حِذْق (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · el τεχνογνωσία (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · de Fachwissen (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · et oskusteave (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · mk спо́собност (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · ko 노하우 (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · fi osaaminen (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · pt saber-fazer (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · de Sachkenntnis (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly) · uk ноу-ха́у (the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly)