marvel
Americannoun
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something that causes wonder, admiration, or astonishment; a wonderful thing; a wonder or prodigy.
The new bridge is an engineering marvel.
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Archaic. the feeling of wonder; astonishment.
verb (used with object)
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to wonder at (usually followed by a clause as object).
I marvel that you were able to succeed against such odds.
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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)
verb
noun
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something that causes wonder
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archaic astonishment
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of marvel
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
Explanation
The Latin source of the word marvel is mirari, "to wonder at," and that's exactly what marvel means when it's a verb. You may marvel at the depth of the Grand Canyon or at the size of a piece of cake. When it entered the English language in 1300, marvel meant "miracle" –- that is, a supernatural act of divine agency (miracle actually comes from the same Latin word as marvel). By 1386, Geoffrey Chaucer was able to use the Middle English meruailles to describe more mundane astonishment. Chaucer also used marvel –- maruaylen, actually –- as a verb. In contemporary usage, the close synonym wonder is used much more often –- unless you happen to be a fan of the comic book universe created by Stan Lee. As a noun, anything that provokes wonder is a marvel.
Vocabulary lists containing marvel
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is an engineering marvel and a Yorkshire landmark.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
Each May, people in Moscow line the streets leading to Red Square to marvel at the tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, multiple-rocket launchers and long-range missiles that are part of the parade.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
But while the Espiritu Santo is a physical marvel, it will never set sail.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
Her formidable, untitled 2026 sphinx regally commands its space among ancient Egyptian and Roman sculpture, a marvel of the cross-temporal and cross-spatial, spiked with specific references to Black self-determination.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Gia smiled, then used her marvel to crush the perfume bottle on the counter.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
