marquee

1 of 2

noun

mar·​quee mär-ˈkē How to pronounce marquee (audio)
1
chiefly British : a large tent set up for an outdoor party, reception, or exhibition
2
a
: a permanent canopy often of metal and glass projecting over an entrance (as of a hotel or theater)
The hotel doorman was stationed under the marquee.
b
: a sign usually over the entrance of a theater or arena that displays the names of featured attractions and principal performers
The brightly lighted marquee displayed the title of the movie currently featured.

marquee

2 of 2

adjective

: having or associated with the name recognition and attraction of one whose name appears on a marquee : big-name, star
marquee athletes
marquee events

Example Sentences

Noun She dreamed of seeing her name on the theater marquee.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Texas fans can officially mark their calendars for two marquee football matchups this fall. Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 16 May 2023 The marquee matchup of the series should be between center Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets’ two-time most valuable player and triple-double threat, and Lakers forward Anthony Davis, one of the league’s top defensive players. John Scheibe, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2023 May 17, 2023 While most of the tweets were negative, some people chose to look at things positively by pointing out the young pieces the Rockets already have and the vast amount of cap space that can be used to sign a marquee free agent or two. James Mueller, Chron, 16 May 2023 Martin Scorsese, Johnny Depp, more are on the marquee at 76th Cannes Film Festival. USA TODAY, 15 May 2023 Most battleground states are not holding contests for governor and secretary of state until 2026, but several marquee Senate races next year will determine control of the chamber. Nick Corasaniti, BostonGlobe.com, 15 May 2023 The Bengals will host two marquee games at Paycor Stadium this season. The Enquirer, 12 May 2023 Representatives of the Broadway League, which includes many producers and theater owners and operators, are more inclined to support the first option, as many shows may not be able to survive for months on end without the imprimatur of a Tony on their marquees and promotional materials. Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 May 2023 Featuring a marquee bursting cast of unforgettable characters and songs sure to razzle and bedazzle. Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 May 2023
Adjective
League-leaders Bayern Munich help kick off Saturday’s six-match slate before a pair of matches on Sunday, including a marquee matchup between Koln and Eintracht Frankfurt. Nick Hennion, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2023 Bergman will continue to have dominion over all of Disney’s marquee film stables, including Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Walt Disney Animation, 20th Century and Searchlight, as well as Disney Music Group and Disney Theatrical Group. Pamela Mcclintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Feb. 2023 White, listed at 6-foot-4, 225-pounds, is a marquee addition for Freeze and offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery. Nick Alvarez | Nalvarez@al.com, al, 3 Feb. 2023 Gimlet Media, Spotify’s marquee acquisition announcing its arrival into the podcast category, is now a shell of its former self. Vulture, 3 Feb. 2023 With both candidates expected to raise significant campaign cash, the race for governor is Texas’ marquee contest. Dallas News, 27 June 2022 Many political observers considered Tuesday's Pennsylvania GOP Senate election to be the marquee contest in the busiest day of the midterm primary season. Nicholas Reimann, Forbes, 18 May 2022 Along with celebrating a marquee victory over an Aggies team that was 9-1 in its previous 10 games, the Mitchells turned 23 on Tuesday. Bob Holt, Arkansas Online, 3 Feb. 2023 Both singers are nominated for the evening’s top prizes, including the marquee record of the year category. Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'marquee.' 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 and Adjective

modification of French marquise, literally, marchioness

First Known Use

Noun

1690, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of marquee was in 1690

Dictionary Entries Near marquee

Cite this Entry

“Marquee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marquee. Accessed 28 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

marquee

noun
mar·​quee
mär-ˈkē
1
: a large tent set up for an outdoor party or exhibition
2
: a rooflike structure sticking out over an entrance
a theater marquee

More from Merriam-Webster on marquee

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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