miracle

[mir-uh-kuh l]

See more synonyms for miracle on Thesaurus.com

noun

an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.
such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.
a wonder; marvel.

a wonderful or surpassing example of some quality: a miracle of modern acoustics.
miracle play.

Origin of miracle

1125–75; Middle English miracle, miracul (< Old French miracle) < Latin mīrāculum, equivalent to mīrā(rī) to wonder at + -culum -cle²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for miracle

phenomenon, revelation, rarity, surprise, wonder, marvel, thaumaturgy, sensation, prodigy, stunner, portent, unusualness

Examples from the Web for miracle

Contemporary Examples of miracle

Just two young kids experiencing the panic, pain, and then the miracle, of new birth.
Jesus Wasn’t Born Rich. Think About It.
Gene Robinson
December 25, 2014
And its crew had fought so hard for a Christmastime miracle that was not to be.
'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops
Michael Daly
December 22, 2014
A Manhattan window washer somehow survived a 47-story fall back in 2007, but such a miracle was not likely to repeat itself.
Rescue at One World Trade Center
Michael Daly
November 13, 2014
Adult Swim airs ‘In Search of Miracle Man,’ its follow up to ‘Too Many Cooks,’ the deranged late-night comedy clip gone viral.
There Are More 'Too Many Cooks' Where That First Fever Dream Came From
Kevin Fallon
November 11, 2014
There was so much back and forth, but somehow by a miracle everything went perfectly.
How Aidy Bryant Stealthily Became Your Favorite ‘Saturday Night Live’ Star
Kevin Fallon
October 31, 2014

Historical Examples of miracle

Grace and a miracle had made the startling fact palpable and evident.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327
Various
A miracle in the sense of a contravention of natural laws an absurdity.
A Theological-Political Treatise [Part II]
Benedict of Spinoza
It were a sad world indeed if God's presence were only interference, that is, miracle.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
The school, therefore, accepted the miracle, but refused the kiss.
K
Mary Roberts Rinehart
Sidney, straining her ears, gathered that they had seen a miracle, and that the wonder was still on them.
K
Mary Roberts Rinehart

British Dictionary definitions for miracle

miracle

noun

an event that is contrary to the established laws of nature and attributed to a supernatural cause
any amazing or wonderful event
a person or thing that is a marvellous example of somethingthe bridge was a miracle of engineering
short for miracle play
(modifier) being or seeming a miraclea miracle cure

Word Origin for miracle

C12: from Latin mīrāculum, 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

Word Origin and History for miracle

mid-12c., "a wondrous work of God," from Old French miracle (11c.) "miracle, story of a miracle, miracle play," from Latin miraculum "object of wonder" (in Church Latin, "marvelous event caused by God"), from mirari "to wonder at, marvel, be astonished," figuratively "to regard, esteem," from mirus "wonderful, astonishing, amazing," earlier *smeiros, from PIE *smei- "to smile, laugh" (cf. Sanskrit smerah "smiling," Greek meidan "to smile," Old Church Slavonic smejo "to laugh;" see smile (v.)).

From mid-13c. as "extraordinary or remarkable feat," without regard to deity. Replaced Old English wundortacen, wundorweorc. The Greek words rendered as miracle in the English bibles were semeion "sign," teras "wonder," and dynamis "power," in Vulgate translated respectively as signum, prodigium, and virtus. The Latin word is the source of Spanish milagro, Italian miracolo.