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déjà

Etymology and origin of the French word déjà

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
c. 1275, Jean de Meun, Roman de la Rose
Ultimate origin
Old French (des,ja)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /de.ʒa/[1]
  • IPA: /dʒa/[1]

Forms

déjà[1] Des ja (about 1275), desja (1465); the Académie wrote desja in 1694 and 1718 and déjà from 1740.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from Old French des + ja, the agglutination of the old adverbial phrase “des ja”, from dès and Old French “ja” “now, at once”, also found in jadis and jamais.[2][3][4][5] “Ja” comes from Latin iam (“now, already; presently; a moment ago”).[2][3][6] In “des ja” it did not mean “already” but “at once”, a sense Latin “iam” had with a present or future verb.[6] “Déjà” displaced “ja” in the 16th century, “ja” was later revived as an archaism and remains usual in eastern dialects.[6]

“Ja” is cognate with Italian già, Spanish ya and Old Occitan ja.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1275 in Jean de Meun's part of the Roman de la Rose as des ja “from now on”.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Desja meant “from that moment (in the past)” in 1465 (Commynes) and “before, at some earlier moment” before 1549 (Marguerite de Navarre).[2][3] In familiar use it reinforces a statement, marking that a partial result has been reached (1604), and at the end of a question asks for something known but forgotten (comment s'appelle-t-il, déjà ?), first recorded in 1827.[2][3][7] It is used as a noun in le déjà-vu (1908) and appears in d'ores et déjà.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1275 – Des ja “from now on”, in Jean de Meun.[2]
  • 1465 – Desja “from that moment”, in Commynes.[2]
  • Before 1549 – “Previously”, in Marguerite de Navarre.[2]
  • 16th century – Replaces Old French ja.[6]
  • 1604 – Reinforcing a statement, in Montchrestien.[2]
  • 1827 – At the end of a question.[7]
  • 1908 – Le déjà-vu.[3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Already, by now: Il est déjà quatre heures.[8][1]
  2. Already, by then, in the past or future: Quand il arriva, son ami était déjà parti.[8][9]
  3. Before, previously: Je vous l'ai déjà dit.[8][9]
  4. (familiar) Reinforcing a statement: C'est déjà pas mal.[8][9]
  5. (familiar) At the end of a question: again: Comment vous appelez-vous, déjà ?[8][1]
  6. (informal) For a start, firstly.[1]

Word family

  • déjà-vu

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 5, 26a
  6. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
Cite this entry

“Déjà.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/d%C3%A9j%C3%A0. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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