marquee

American  

[mahr-kee] / mɑrˈki /

noun

1. a tall rooflike projection above a theater entrance, usually containing the name of a currently featured play or film and its stars.

2. a rooflike shelter, as of glass, projecting above an outer door and over a sidewalk or a terrace.

3. British. Also a large tent or tentlike shelter with open sides, especially one for temporary use in outdoor entertainments, receptions, etc.

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adjective

1. superlative; headlining.

   a marquee basketball player.

marquee British  

/ mɑːˈkiː /

noun

1. a large tent used for entertainment, exhibition, etc

2. Also called: marquise.  a canopy over the entrance to a theatre, hotel, etc

3. (modifier) celebrated or pre-eminent

   a marquee player

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Etymology

Origin of marquee

1680–90; assumed singular of marquise, taken as plural

Explanation

A marquee is the roof-like overhang at the doorway of a hotel or theater, often holding a sign. You could choose a Broadway play just by wandering past the theaters and picking out a marquee that looks interesting. A marquee is a theater sign or canopy that protrudes above a building's entrance. Movie theaters and performing arts theaters can have marquees, as can hotels and many other buildings. Marquee can also describe a person with a starring role, almost always preceding the word player, like when you describe the most well-known member of your local mime troupe as your "marquee player."

Example Sentences

The track also features unlisted cameos from Rauw Alejandro, Papi Sousa and Feid, tucked into the song like Easter eggs, rather than announced as marquee features.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

Outside the Ed Sullivan Theater, fans gathered under The Late Show's glittering marquee one last time with signs of "Thank You Stephen" and "Colbert for President".

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Drake is smarting, and he spreads that hurt across more than an hour in the trilogy’s marquee album “Iceman.”

From Salon • May 21, 2026

Wednesday was another marquee day on Wall Street with three of the four major U.S. stock indexes finishing at fresh record highs as traders hoped there was an end in sight to the Iran war.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

At the top of the game, resting on the metal brace that held the glass marquee in place, was a single quarter.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline