déjà vu /dāzhä vY″, -vē″, -vo̅o̅″/ [Fr, previously seen] , the sensation or illusion that one is encountering a set of circumstances or a place that was previously experienced. The phenomenon, which is normal in everyone but occurs more frequently or continuously in certain emotional and organic disorders, results from some unconscious emotional connection with the present experience. Compare jamais vu, paramnesia.
