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métier

noun
mé·​tier | \ ˈme-ˌtyā How to pronounce métier (audio) , me-ˈtyā\
variants: or less commonly metier

Definition of métier

1 : vocation, trade Journalism is her métier.
2 : an area of activity in which one excels : forte Chess had become his métier.
Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about métier

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Choose the Right Synonym for métier

work, employment, occupation, calling, pursuit, métier, business mean a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living. work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not. her work as a hospital volunteer employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer. your employment with this firm is hereby terminated occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training. his occupation as a trained auto mechanic calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession. the ministry seemed my true calling pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest. her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted. acting was my one and only métier business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs. the business of managing a hotel

Did You Know?

The words métier, employment, occupation, and calling all perform similar functions in English, though each word gets the job done in its own way. These hard-working synonyms can all refer to a specific sustained activity, especially an activity engaged in to earn a living, but these words also have slightly different shades of meaning. Employment implies simply that one was hired and is being paid by an employer, whereas occupation usually suggests special training, and calling generally applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession. Métier, a French borrowing acquired by English speakers in the late 18th century, typically implies a calling for which one feels especially fitted.

Examples of métier in a Sentence

After trying several careers, she found her true métier in computer science. public speaking is not my métier, as others can attest

Recent Examples on the Web

 Margiela is a man who appreciates the beauty existing objects, and was never afraid to reveal the process and craft of his metier. — Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, "Ghosting—The Fall Fashion Edition," 1 Apr. 2019 But with the Premier League season coming to a close on Sunday, Faria - who has followed Mourinho throughout his storied metier - has decided that a career change would be best for him. — SI.com, "Jose Mourinho Long-Time Assistant Rui Faria Announces Man United Exit," 12 May 2018 Telles began his metier at Brazilian side Juventude in 2011 and signed with Gremio in 2013. — SI.com, "Chelsea & Liverpool Handed Transfer Boost as Porto Reject Offers from Bayern & Juve for Alex Telles," 10 July 2018 Melancholy is the metier for the British vocalist who won four Grammys for his 2014 debut album, In the Lonely Hour. — Philly.com, "Album reviews: Sam Smith is sad, Gucci Mane is back and Lee Ann Womack sounds better than ever," 2 Nov. 2017 Unlike the stock market in which transactions are typically based on information that’s public, firms that buy and sell raw materials thrived for decades in an opaque world where their metier relied on knowledge privy only to a few. — Serene Cheong, Bloomberg.com, "Commodity Traders Are Stuck in a World Where Everybody Knows Everything," 21 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'métier.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of métier

1792, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for métier

borrowed from French, going back to Old French mistier, mestier "divine service, function, duty, craft, profession" — more at mystery entry 2

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More Definitions for métier

métier

noun
How to pronounce métier (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of métier

formal : something that a person does very well

See the full definition for métier in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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