Jamais
/ʒa.mɛ/noun
A French adverb meaning “never,” used in English chiefly in expressions such as “déjà vu jamais” or “jamais vu.”
Did you know?In older French, jamais could mean “ever” or “at any time”; paired with the old negative ne, ne…jamais meant “not ever,” eventually allowing jamais alone to mean “never.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*méǵh₂s
“Greater or bigger; the ancient root behind the idea of “more.””
Classical Latin
Latin
iam magis
““Now more” or “ever more,” the phrase that ultimately produced jamais.”
Late Latin
Latin
jam magis
“A reduced form meaning “ever more” or “at any time.””
Old French
Old French
ja mais
““Ever” or “at any time”; ja meant “already/ever,” while mais meant “more.””
Middle French
French
jamais
“Used especially with ne in ne…jamais, literally “not ever,” meaning “never.””
Modern French
French
jamais
““Never” when used alone; it can still mean “ever” in questions or certain constructions.”