Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A quality or attribute that is difficult to describe or express.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun An
intangible quality that makes something distinctive or attractive.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun something indescribable
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[French : je, I + ne, not + sais : first person present indicative of savoir, to know + quoi, what.]
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
From French je ne sais quoi, literally ‘I don't know what’.
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Examples
Sorry, no example sentences found.
chained_bear commented on the word je ne sais quoi
I had a gerbil named Je Ne Sais Quoi. He was a great pet.
February 16, 2007
uselessness commented on the word je ne sais quoi
Oddly enough, the first time I read this I thought it said "he was a great poet." Perhaps not, but I'll bet he was a snazzy dresser, am I right?
February 16, 2007
chained_bear commented on the word je ne sais quoi
He was indeed. A snazzy little gerbil. He was all black with a white streak right where his dress shirt would be, if he were wearing a tuxedo.
February 16, 2007
reesetee commented on the word je ne sais quoi
But he was a casual kind of gerbil, I've heard.
February 17, 2007
chained_bear commented on the word je ne sais quoi
He did like to lounge around in cafés wearing a dark beret and drinking espresso.
February 17, 2007
reesetee commented on the word je ne sais quoi
Ah, yes. I remember him well.
February 19, 2007
dontcry commented on the word je ne sais quoi
I do not know what this is all about...
September 8, 2009
chained_bear commented on the word je ne sais quoi
Let's just say my gerbil had a certain something, an I-don't-know-what, going on.
September 8, 2009
reesetee commented on the word je ne sais quoi
I don't know about that.
September 8, 2009