Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun raison_d'etre

2 senses of raison d'etre

Sense 1
raison d'etre -- (reason for being)
       => rationalization, rationalisation -- (the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason)

Sense 2
raison d'etre -- (the purpose that justifies a thing's existence)
       => function, purpose, role, use -- (what something is used for; "the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?")