soigné

adjective

soi·​gné swän-ˈyā 

variants or soignée

1

: well-groomed, sleek

2

: elegantly maintained or designed

a soigné restaurant

a soigné black dress

Did you know?

Not surprisingly, soigné comes from French, where it serves as the past participle of the verb soigner, meaning "to take care of." It first appeared in English in the 19th century and can be used to describe such things as an elegant wardrobe, a fancy restaurant, or the extravagant meal one might enjoy at such a restaurant. It can also be used to describe people, as in an article about fashion designer Donna Karan: "Though her name is really pronounced 'Karen,' people said it with a glamorous continental inflection; it suited their image of a fashion designer: aloof, soigné, different from you and me." (Josh Patner, The New York Times, April 11, 2004)

Word History

Etymology

French, from past participle of soigner to take care of

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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