marvel
verbEtymology 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.
1
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:
2 more examples
- 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:
- 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:
2
Obsolete To wonder at.
- 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:
- 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:
3
Obsolete, Used impersonally To cause to wonder or be surprised.
- 15th century, Anonymous, Richard the Redeless But much now me marvelleth.
- Derived terms
- marveler, marveller, marvelment, marvelry, marvelsome, outmarvel, unmarveling, unmarvelling