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• nine days' wonder
  nine days' wonder

  noun

  an event or thing that arouses considerable but short-lived interest or excitement.
• nine-days wonder
  nine-days wonder

  noun

  something that arouses great interest, but only for a short period

nine days' wonder

American  

noun

1. an event or thing that arouses considerable but short-lived interest or excitement.

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nine-days wonder British  

noun

1. something that arouses great interest, but only for a short period

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nine days' wonder Cultural  

1. Someone or something that is famous and celebrated for only a short time: “Last year the art critics praised Jonas as if he were a master, but he turned out to be a nine days' wonder.”

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Etymology

Origin of nine days' wonder

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

But Kenyon and Bramsdean knew that the achievement would be but a nine days' wonder.

From The Airship "Golden Hind" by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)

His mysterious disappearance had been a nine days’ wonder some ten years ago.

From The Wolves of God And Other Fey Stories by Blackwood, Algernon

It was a nine days' wonder in the neighbourhood, and the oddities of Hawthorn were held to be dangerous by the squires, while farmers cursed him for his liberality.

From The Life of Thomas Wanless, Peasant by Wilson, Alexander Johnstone

A "nine days' wonder" appears in the pages of the "Troilus" of Chaucer, as "Eke wonder last but nine daies never in towne."

From Proverb Lore Many sayings, wise or otherwise, on many subjects, gleaned from many sources by Hulme, F. Edward (Frederick Edward)

His rescue and escape were of a less common character; though even these served only for a nine days’ wonder in the mind of the general public.

From The White Gauntlet by Reid, Mayne