je ne sais quoi

noun

zhə-nə-ˌsā-ˈkwä 

: something (such as an appealing quality) that cannot be adequately described or expressed

a young actress who has a certain je ne sais quoi

Examples of je ne sais quoi in a Sentence

Although the sculpture had flaws, it also had a certain je ne sais quoi that made it very appealing.

Recent Examples on the Web

This final aesthetic, however, contained a certain je ne sais quoi the others were missing to some degree. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 July 2026

As its name would suggest, the Riviera Etoile bench possesses a certain je ne sais quoi. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 13 July 2026

Like that little je ne sais quoi of it. — Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 June 2026

Black and metallics always pair well, but there's a certain je ne sais quoi about an all-black outfit adorned with shiny silver hardware and accents—and Tess certainly sees it, too. — Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 31 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, I know not what

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined above