Marvels

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Extraordinary occurrences or creations that evoke feelings of amazement and admiration by their unique or impressive qualities are often considered wonders
2. Remarkable events or entities that inspire awe and captivate the imagination due to their exceptional nature or abilities are seen as astonishing
3. Exceptional phenomena or entities that elicit awe and admiration because of their remarkable qualities or abilities are often regarded as wonders

Etymology: "Marvels" is the plural of "marvel," and the singular carries its wonder in its very structure. It traces back to Latin "mīrābilia," literally "wonderful things," the neuter plural of "mīrābilis," meaning "strange" or "wonderful." That adjective comes from "mīror," "to wonder at," which itself grew from "mīrus," "wonderful." So the Latin word was a plural noun built from the idea of wondering, and English received it through Old French "merveille," meaning "a wonder," which entered Middle English by 1300. A surprising detail is that the word once existed in English as a close relative of "mirabilia" that passed through a different route. The Latin plural drifted through Vulgar Latin "*miribilia" before reaching French, and the English word came from that French form rather than directly from classical Latin. The result is that "marvel" and "mirabilia" are doublets, two words sharing one origin but arriving separately in the language.

Synonyms: wonders, miracles, phenomena