déjà vu
Say it: DAY-zhah VOO /ˌdeɪʒɑː ˈvuː/ · noun
What “déjà vu” means
Feeling you've lived through this exact moment before.
More precisely: The eerie feeling of having already lived through the present moment.
Example: “Another reorg meeting? I'm getting serious déjà vu.”
When to use it
For an uncanny feeling of familiarity, or jokingly when a situation seems to repeat itself.
Memory trick
French for already seen: a new moment strangely feels like an old memory.
Similar words
sense of familiarity, been here before
Where it comes from
French, 'already seen'.
Quick check
You enter a house you've never visited, yet the doorway and conversation feel strangely familiar. You're experiencing…
déjà vu or nostalgia?
Show the answer
déjà vu
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