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While the noun savvy, meaning "practical know-how" (as in "her political savvy"), and the adjective use (as in "a savvy investor") are more common, the verb savvy is the oldest of the trio. (If you associate it with Captain Jack Sparrow of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, you'll be pleased to know his use—as in, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?"—is not anachronistic; the verb was the only savvy option extant in the movies' early 18th-century setting.) Current evidence dates the verb savvy to the late 17th century, when English speakers altered a word—sabi, meaning "know"—they were hearing in English-based creoles and pidgins (a pidgin is a simplified language or dialect that speakers of different languages use to communicate with one another; a creole is a language that evolves from a pidgin to become a native language for a speech community). Sabi has its roots in Portuguese sabe, meaning "he knows," and it ultimately comes from Latin sapere, meaning "to be wise."
Examples of savvy in a Sentence
David Hill, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
Collins has been one of the more stout edge defenders in his five years in the league, and the Cowboys could desperately use a savvy veteran run defender to contain the edge.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2025
Dave Smith, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
Fiscal savvy gained by working part-time jobs.
—Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for savvy
Cite this Entry
“Savvy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savvy. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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savvy
2 of 3 nounsavvy
3 of 3 adjective
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