でごんすMeanings1expressionbe; isarchaicpolite (teineigo)Archaic polite copula, equivalent to modern でございます. Used in historical or period speech; not used in contemporary Japanese.See also: でございます「これは何なんでごんすか?」と侍さむらいが尋たずねた。"What is this?" the samurai asked (in an archaic polite style).