je ne sais quoi

noun

: 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.
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'je ne sais quoi.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, I know not what

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of je ne sais quoi was circa 1656

Dictionary Entries Near je ne sais quoi

Cite this Entry

“Je ne sais quoi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/je%20ne%20sais%20quoi. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.

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