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Marvel

 - 3 dictionary results

mar⋅vel

[mahr-vuhl] noun, verb, -veled, -vel⋅ing or (especially British) -velled, -vel⋅ling.
–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)
3. to wonder at (usually fol. by a clause as object): I marvel that you were able to succeed against such odds.
4. to wonder or be curious about (usually fol. by a clause as object): A child marvels that the stars can be.
–verb (used without object)
5. to be filled with wonder, admiration, or astonishment, as at something surprising or extraordinary: I marvel at your courage.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME mervel < OF merveil(l)e < LL mīrābilia marvels, n. use of neut. pl. of L mīrābilis marvelous. See admirable


mar⋅vel⋅ment, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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mar·vel   (mär'vəl)   
n.  
  1. One that evokes surprise, admiration, or wonder. See Synonyms at wonder.

  2. Strong surprise; astonishment.

v.   mar·veled also mar·velled, mar·vel·ing also mar·vel·ling, mar·vels also mar·vels

v.   intr.
To become filled with wonder or astonishment.
v.   tr.
To feel amazement or bewilderment at or about: We marveled that they walked away unhurt from the car accident.

[Middle English marvail, from Old French merveille, from Vulgar Latin *miribilia, alteration of Latin mīrābilia, wonderful things, from neuter pl. of mīrābilis, wonderful, from mīrārī, to wonder, from mīrus, wonderful; see smei- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

marvel  (n.)
c.1300, "miracle," also "wonderful story or legend," from O.Fr. merveille "a wonder," from V.L. *miribilia, alt. from L. mirabilia "wonderful things," from neut. pl. of mirabilis "strange or wonderful," from mirari "to wonder at," from mirus "wonderful" (see smile). A neut. pl. treated in V.L. as a fem. sing. The verb is attested from c.1300. Marvelous (c.1300) is O.Fr. merveillos, from merveille. Weakened sense of "splendid, very nice" is from 1924.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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