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

In the heart of the Upper East Side, L’Agence is bringing California ease matched with a little je ne sais quoi to New York City. — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026

Robbie was photographed in Paris in a look that had that je ne sais quoi synonymous with French girl style. — Eva Thomas, InStyle, 18 Aug. 2026

That means there’s all the more pressure on the company to identify children with the je ne sais quoi to capture and maintain the eyes of a generation that’s always chasing its next dopamine hit. — Selome Hailu, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026

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

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, I know not what

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined above