marvelous

adjective

mar·​vel·​ous ˈmärv-(ə-)ləs How to pronounce marvelous (audio)
variants or chiefly British marvellous
1
: causing wonder : astonishing
the marvelous directional sense of migrating birds
2
: miraculous, supernatural
Gothic tales of marvelous and bizarre happenings
3
: of the highest kind or quality : notably superior
has a marvelous way with children
marvelously adverb
or chiefly British marvellously
marvelously inventive
sang marvelously
marvelousness noun
or chiefly British marvellousness

Examples of marvelous in a Sentence

We had a marvelous time at the party. He has a marvelous way with children. The weather was simply marvelous.
Recent Examples on the Web Unfortunately, these marvelous creatures became extinct over 10,000 years ago, primarily due to habitat loss and hunting. Donna Sarkar, Discover Magazine, 17 Nov. 2023 Drive through marvelous displays of holiday lights or wander around a town festival. Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 14 Nov. 2023 There, jam master Akiko White relies on her grandmother-in-law Tutu’s recipe to produce a citrus stunner that makes a marvelous croissant topper, vinaigrette booster and cocktail brightener. Aleksandra Crapanzano, WSJ, 14 Nov. 2023 Andrew Maes finished his marvelous career with 81 rushing yards and a TD for LCC (5-6). John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2023 Spending money can feel marvelous, but saving those dollars can bring even greater satisfaction in the long run. Essence Lifestyle, Essence, 10 Nov. 2023 And yet, this chorus puts its marvelous control to good use, often registering far more gently than its numbers might portend. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023 But Jackson, about 12 miles from the village and nine miles from Jackson Hole Airport, is marvelous in its own right. Kayleigh Kulp, Travel + Leisure, 30 Oct. 2023 Just one detection of life, no matter how marvelous or novel, wouldn’t be enough to provide a definitive answer. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023 See More

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

Middle English merveillous, borrowed from Anglo-French, from merveille marvel entry 1 + -ous -ous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near marvelous

Cite this Entry

“Marvelous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marvelous. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

marvelous

adjective
mar·​vel·​ous
variants or marvellous
1
: causing wonder or astonishment
2
: having the characteristics of a miracle
3
: of the highest kind or quality : splendid
we had a marvelous time
marvelously adverb
marvelousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on marvelous

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