déjà vu
English meaning: Already seen / Sensation of familiarity with something new
French Definition
(Français)Une sensation psychologique étrange où une nouvelle expérience semble déjà connue — comme si elle avait déjà été vécue.
English Definition
A French phrase describing the uncanny psychological sensation that a new experience feels familiar — as if already experienced before. The term was coined by French philosopher Émile Boirac (1876). It has been extensively studied in neuroscience and psychology as a memory phenomenon. The phrase has been adopted universally in dozens of languages without translation.
Example
“Le phénomène du déjà vu est étudié en neurosciences comme un phénomène de mémoire.”
In English: “The déjà vu phenomenon is studied in neuroscience as a memory phenomenon.”
Synonyms
- impression de familiarité
Antonyms / Opposites
- jamais vu
- sentiment de nouveauté
Literary Heritage
“L'existence précède l'essence.”
“Existence precedes essence.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- Français
- French
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Romance
- Speakers
- 310M