Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “marvel” come from?

Marvel comes from Middle English merveile, from Old French merveille, from Latin mirabilia, the plural of mirabilis meaning "wonderful," derived from the verb miror meaning "to wonder at."

marvel (English): That which causes wonder; a prodigy; a miracle;...

Definitions

  1. That which causes wonder; a prodigy; a miracle;...

Ancestry of “marvel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishmerveileSomething that induces wonder or astonishment; a...
2Old Frenchmerveillewonder; marvel
3Vulgar Latinmiribilia—
4Latinmīrābilia—
5Latinmīrābilis—
6Latinmīror—
7Latinmīrus—
8Proto-Italicsmeiros—
9Proto-Indo-Europeansméyroslaughing, smiling
10Proto-Indo-Europeansmey-to smile; to smear, stroke, wipe, rub; to be...

Words derived from “marvel”

  • marvelleth
  • marvellest
  • marvelest
  • marveleth
  • marvelment
  • marveller
  • marveler
  • Marvelverse
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smey- →