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 (“to wonder at”), from mīrus (“wonderful”). Doublet of mirabilia.
Meanings
That which causes wonder; a prodigy; a portent.
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. 2017 December 1, Tom Breihan, “Mad Max: Fury Road might already be the best action movie ever made”, in The Onion AV Club:
The mysteries of this wonderful universe rise more palpable upon the departing spirit, so soon to mingle with their marvels. 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXIV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 261:
(archaic) Wonder, astonishment.
You read not any where that Eſau had faith, no not ſo much as a little: Therefore no marvel, if where, the fleſh only bears ſway […] 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 171:
No maruel though you bite so sharp at reasons, c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
Use lessens marvel. 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:
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 (“to wonder at”), from mīrus (“wonderful”). Doublet of mirabilia.
Meanings
(intransitive) To become filled with wonderment or admiration; to be amazed at something.
Marueile not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 John 3:13, column 1:
Men marvel at the works of man / And with unstinted praises sing / The greatness of some worldly thing / Encompassed during one life's span; 1923, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Men marvel at the works of man”, in The Complete Poems of Robert Louis Stevenson, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, page 466:
If Cleopatra or Elizabeth I were to time-travel to the present day, they would marvel at a world we take for granted, with its vaccines and antibiotics, and a flushing toilet and fridge in every home. 2021 June 25, Richard Fisher, “Generational amnesia: The memory loss that harms the planet”, in BBC News:
The ads show tourists hiking with a selfie stick, (“Very nice!”), drinking fermented horse milk (“Mm, that’s actually very nice!”), marvelling at the architecture (“Wow, very nice!”) and posing for a photograph with Kazakhs in traditional dress (“That’s very nice!”). 2020 October 27, Helen Sullivan, “'Very nice!': Kazakhstan adopts Borat's catchphrase in new tourism campaign”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
(obsolete, transitive) To wonder at.
I maruell why I answer'd not againe, c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v], page 200:
I maruell that her Grace did leaue it out. c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 184:
(obsolete, transitive, used impersonally) To cause to wonder or be surprised.
15th century, Anonymous, Richard the Redeless
But much now me marvelleth.
bg удивлявам се (become filled with wonderment) · cs žasnout (become filled with wonderment) · mi mīharo (become filled with wonderment) · it meravigliarsi (become filled with wonderment) · ru удивля́ться (become filled with wonderment) · ru изумля́ться (become filled with wonderment) · it stupirsi (become filled with wonderment) · fi kummastella (become filled with wonderment) · fi kummaksua (become filled with wonderment) · la miror (become filled with wonderment) · fi ihastella (become filled with wonderment) · fi ällistellä (become filled with wonderment) · ru восхища́ться (become filled with wonderment) · ru восторга́ться (become filled with wonderment) · fr être sublimé (become filled with wonderment) · mi whakamīharo (become filled with wonderment) · hu ámul (become filled with wonderment) · fr être émerveillé (become filled with wonderment) · sga ad·amraigedar (become filled with wonderment) · mi māharo (become filled with wonderment) · el θαυμάζω (become filled with wonderment) · cs užasnout (become filled with wonderment) · fi ihmetellä (become filled with wonderment) · grc θαυμάζω (become filled with wonderment) · eo miregi (become filled with wonderment) · es maravillarse (become filled with wonderment) · de wundern (become filled with wonderment) · cmn 驚嘆 /惊叹 (become filled with wonderment) · ru недоумева́ть (become filled with wonderment) · gl marabillarse (become filled with wonderment) · fi äimistellä (become filled with wonderment)