marvel

[ mahr-vuhl ]
See synonyms for: marvelmarveledmarvelingmarvelled on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. something that causes wonder, admiration, or astonishment; a wonderful thing; a wonder or prodigy: The new bridge is an engineering marvel.

  2. Archaic. the feeling of wonder; astonishment.

verb (used with object),mar·veled, mar·vel·ing or (especially British) mar·velled, mar·vel·ling.
  1. to wonder at (usually followed by a clause as object): I marvel that you were able to succeed against such odds.

  2. to wonder or be curious about (usually followed by a clause as object): A child marvels that the stars can be.

verb (used without object),mar·veled, mar·vel·ing or (especially British) mar·velled, mar·vel·ling.
  1. to be filled with wonder, admiration, or astonishment, as at something surprising or extraordinary: I marvel at your courage.

Origin of marvel

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English mervel, from Old French merveil(l)e, from Late Latin mīrābilia “marvels,” noun use of neuter plural of Latin mīrābilis “marvelous”; see admirable

Other words from marvel

  • mar·vel·ment, noun

Words Nearby marvel

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use marvel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for marvel

marvel

/ (ˈmɑːvəl) /


verb-vels, -velling or -velled or US -vels, -veling or -veled
  1. (when intr, often foll by at or about; when tr, takes a clause as object) to be filled with surprise or wonder

noun
  1. something that causes wonder

  2. archaic astonishment

Origin of marvel

1
C13: from Old French merveille, from Late Latin mīrābilia, from Latin mīrābilis, from mīrārī to wonder at

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012