marvel

1 of 2

noun

mar·​vel ˈmär-vəl How to pronounce marvel (audio)
1
: one that causes wonder or astonishment
her talent is a marvel to behold
… with that marvel of architecture before our eyes …Martha Kean
2
: intense surprise or interest : astonishment
… his voice filled with marvelMordecai Richler

marvel

2 of 2

verb

marveled or marvelled; marveling or marvelling ˈmärv-liŋ How to pronounce marvel (audio)
ˈmär-və-

intransitive verb

: to become filled with surprise, wonder, or amazed curiosity
marveled at the magician's skill

transitive verb

: to feel astonishment or perplexity at or about
marveled that they had escaped

Examples of marvel in a Sentence

Noun that new electric car really is a marvel Verb The doctors marveled that anyone could recover so quickly.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
To see it, or any of this month’s astro marvels, head to a location with minimal light pollution and open, unobstructed views overhead. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2024 Eager to try your hand at flying this modern marvel? Dan Sloat, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024 Built during the depths of the Great Depression, the agency’s headquarters was not only a marvel of construction, but also a boost to the local economy. Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Feb. 2024 By comparison, Arc says its new wake sports boat is a technological marvel, running on software developed in-house by the company’s team of engineers. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 20 Feb. 2024 Jamon Lewis, Adullam's executive director, marvels at Ter Maat's passion to help others. Bill Glauber, Journal Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2024 Viet’s street runs horizontally across a huge incline that begins the Palos Verdes Peninsula, a marvel of steep cliffs and Mediterranean-style homes at the south hook of Santa Monica Bay. Audrey Gray, WIRED, 24 Feb. 2024 This is not a distant reality but the present state of affairs, thanks to the marvels of artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare. Rahul Saluja, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Granted, a few cast members pick up a few instruments — an accordion here, a violin there, a guitar everywhere — but even that can’t explain the marvel of it all. Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2024
Verb
Even without pads on, Muhammad was marveling at the sight of USC’s offensive linemen. Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024 The doctors at his autopsy marveled that below his head, his body was superbly muscled. Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024 This activity is fantastic for the whole family; kids and adults alike will marvel at the scenery and are sure to remember this unforgettable ride in a historic train car. Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024 The elder artist marveled about how the new star worked the 360-degree stage at the New Orleans date. Nancy Kruh, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 But there wasn’t just one moment when a caveman picked up a hunk of pyrite, struck it against a rock, and marveled at the resulting sparks. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 27 Feb. 2024 Wentz, who did most of the speaking for the group, marveled that the band had managed to sell out the Sacramento arena. Nathaniel Levine, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024 Since opening in November, shoppers and curious eaters have been flocking to the 70,000-square-foot space, marveling upon arrival at its 20 puestos and the first outpost of the famous Churrería El Moro outside of Mexico. Sarah Mosqueda, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 The parkway's famous Linn Cove Viaduct is a must-see engineering marvel. Hilary Tetenbaum, Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'marvel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English merveile, mervayle "something causing astonishment, miracle," borrowed from Anglo-French merveille, going back to Gallo-Romance *merevelia, altered from Latin mīrābilia, noun derivative from neuter plural of mīrābilis "causing wonder, remarkable," from mīrārī "to be surprised, look with wonder at" + -bilis "capable of (acting or being acted upon)" — more at admire, -able

Verb

Middle English merveilen, mervaylen, borrowed from Anglo-French merveiller, derivative of merveille marvel entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of marvel was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near marvel

Cite this Entry

“Marvel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marvel. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

marvel

1 of 2 noun
mar·​vel ˈmär-vəl How to pronounce marvel (audio)
: one that causes wonder or astonishment

marvel

2 of 2 verb
marveled or marvelled; marveling or marvelling ˈmärv-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce marvel (audio)
: to become filled with surprise or astonishment
marveled at the magician's skill

More from Merriam-Webster on marvel

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