marvel

• marvail, marvell

First attested from 1300, from Middle English merveile, from Old French merveille (“a wonder”), from Vulgar Latin *miribilia, from Latin mīrābilia (“wonderful things”), from neuter plural of mīrābilis (“strange, wonderful”), from mīror (“I wonder at”), from mīrus (“wonderful”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑɹvl̩/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑːvl̩/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)vəl
• Hyphenation: mar‧vel

marvel (plural marvels)

1. That which causes wonder; a prodigy; a miracle.
   • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXIV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 261:

     The mysteries of this wonderful universe rise more palpable upon the departing spirit, so soon to mingle with their marvels.

   • 2017 December 1, Tom Breihan, “Mad Max: Fury Road might already be the best action movie ever made”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     He found ways to film fiery, elaborate car-wrecks, keeping everything visually clear and beautiful without killing or even seriously injuring anyone. On a sheer technical level, the movie is a marvel.

2. (archaic) wonder, astonishment.
   • 1805, Walter Scott, “(please specify the page)”, in The Lay of the Last Minstrel: A Poem, London: […] [James Ballantyne] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], and A[rchibald] Constable and Co., […], →OCLC:

     Use lessens marvel.

• marvel grass
• marvelous, marvellous
• marvel of Peru

marvel (third-person singular simple present marvels, present participle (UK) marvelling or (US) marveling, simple past and past participle (UK) marvelled or (US) marveled)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To wonder at.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Wyclif to this entry?)

2. (obsolete, transitive, used impersonally) To cause to wonder or be surprised.
   • 15th century, Anonymous, Richard the Redeless

     But much now me marvelleth.

3. (intransitive) To become filled with wonderment or admiration; to be amazed at something.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 John 3:13, column 1:

     Marueile not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

• vermal