différance

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différance

Where it comes from

From French différance (“deferral”) (coined in this sense by Derrida), from différer (“to defer”); but punning on différence (“difference”).

noun

uncountable The endless deferral of any ultimate meaning in a word or sentence, owing to the necessity of recourse to a potentially infinite series of other, equally uncertain words or signs. This is the final Derridan manoeuvre, the showing up of ‘blind spots’ in a text, or the ‘blindness’ of an author to certain textual ‘différances’ or ‘suppléments’ in his own text, operative though not observed.

Translations

Every language

noun the endless deferral of any ultimate meaning in a word or sentence

日本語	差延 saen
中文	延異 /延异 yányì
Русский	различание različanije

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MLA

"différance." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/diff%C3%A9rance. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

différance. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/diff%C3%A9rance

Chicago

"différance." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/diff%C3%A9rance.

BibTeX

@misc{diffe_rance_2026,
  title = {différance},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/diff%C3%A9rance},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}