marvel
See also: Marvel
English
Alternative forms
- marvail, marvell
Etymology
First attested from 1300, from Middle English merveile, from Old French merveille (“a wonder”), from Vulgar Latin *miribilia, from Latin mirabilia (“wonderful things”), from neuter plural of mirabilis (“strange, wonderful”), from miror (“I wonder at”), from mirus (“wonderful”).
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈmɑɹvl̩/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈmɑːvl̩/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)vəl
- Hyphenation: mar‧vel
Noun
marvel (plural marvels)
- That which causes wonder; a prodigy; a miracle.
- 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), OCLC 630079698, page 261:
- The mysteries of this wonderful universe rise more palpable upon the departing spirit, so soon to mingle with their marvels.
- 2017 December 1, Tom Breihan, “Mad Max: Fury Road might already be the best action movie ever made”, in The Onion AV Club:
- He found ways to film fiery, elaborate car-wrecks, keeping everything visually clear and beautiful without killing or even seriously injuring anyone. On a sheer technical level, the movie is a marvel.
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- (archaic) wonder, astonishment.
- 1805, Walter Scott, “(please specify the page)”, in The Lay of the Last Minstrel: A Poem, London: […] [James Ballantyne] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], and A[rchibald] Constable and Co., […], OCLC 1001655651:
- Use lessens marvel.
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Derived terms
- marvelous, marvellous
Translations
miracle — see miracle
astonishment — see astonishment
wonder — see wonder
Verb
marvel (third-person singular simple present marvels, present participle (UK) marvelling or (US) marveling, simple past and past participle (UK) marvelled or (US) marveled)
- (obsolete, transitive) To wonder at.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Wyclif to this entry?)
- (obsolete, transitive, used impersonally) To cause to wonder or be surprised.
- 15th century, Anonymous, Richard the Redeless
- But much now me marvelleth.
- 15th century, Anonymous, Richard the Redeless
- (intransitive) To become filled with wonderment or admiration; to be amazed at something.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, 1 John 3:13, column 1:
- Marueile not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
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Translations
become filled with wonderment
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Anagrams
- vermal