Marvel (noun, /ˈmɑːrvəl/ in US; /ˈmɑː.vəl/ in UK; /ˈmɑː.vəl/ in Australian English) refers to something that causes wonder or admiration; a remarkable example. It can also denote a prodigy or an object of wonder. The word often appears in phrases like “a marvel of engineering” or “movie Marvel universe.” Historically, it entered English from Old French esmarveler and Latin mirari, evolving to denote wonder before becoming a general term of astonishment.
"The cathedral’s architecture is a marvel of medieval engineering."
"She looked at the sunset in awe, a true marvel of nature."
"The new robot is a marvel of modern technology."
"Children often marvel at how quickly technology advances."
Marvel comes from the Old French esmarvel, from es- (intensifier) + marveillier, uiteindelijk linked to the Latin mirari ‘to wonder, admire.’ The intermediaries in French included merveille ‘wonder’ and merveilles ‘marvels, marvels,’ which entered English around the 13th century. The pronunciation shifted towards MO-vəl in many dialects, with primary stress on the first syllable. The sense expanded from “to cause wonder” to the noun describing a thing of wonder or a remarkable person. In Middle English, forms like marvelen and marveren appeared, gradually standardizing to Marvel as a general noun for a person or thing that evokes astonishment. The term also contributed to modern proper nouns, notably the famous Marvel entertainment brand, but the root meaning remains tied to astonishment and admiration across centuries.
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Words that rhyme with "Marvel"
-vel sounds
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Pronounce it as two syllables with primary stress on the first: /ˈmɑːr.vəl/ in US/UK/AU accents. Start with an open back unrounded vowel /ɑː/ as in 'father', then a tapped or neutral /r/ (US) or a non-rhotic approach in careful UK/AU speech where /r/ is not strongly pronounced before vowels. End with /vəl/ where /v/ is a voiced labiodental fricative followed by a light /əl/. Note the subtle vowel in the second syllable, often reduced to /ə/ in connected speech: /ˈmɑːr.vəl/ → /ˈmɑː.vəl/.”,
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (trying to make it two equal syllables) and mispronouncing the second syllable as /ɪl/ or delaying /r/ in non-rhotic accents. Correct these by keeping primary stress on first syllable and finishing with a short, unstressed /əl/. Ensure the first syllable uses /ɑː/ and the /v/ is clearly voicemed. If you’re in a non-rhotic accent, avoid adding an extra rhotic vowel after /r/; keep it as /ˈmɑː.vəl/ with a light /əl/.”,
In US English, you hear rhotic /r/ in the first syllable: /ˈmɑːr.vəl/. In careful UK English, /r/ is not pronounced before a following vowel, yielding /ˈmɑː.vəl/ with a shortened /ɹ/ or a silent /r/. Australian English mostly aligns with UK patterns in non-rhotic varieties, often with a broad /ɑː/ in the first vowel and a non-rhotic /r/; however, some speakers show a light rhotic touch. Across accents, the second syllable remains /vəl/ with a reduced vowel.”,
The difficulty comes from the two-syllable balance with a strong first syllable and a subtle, unstressed second syllable; the /r/ in the US can be tricky for non-native speakers, and in UK/AU, the non-rhotic tendency makes the ending /əl/ feel different. Also, the contrast between /ɑː/ and /æ/ is important; keeping the long /ɑː/ in the first syllable helps avoid blending into /ˈmæ.vəl/. Mastery requires practicing the smooth transition from /ɑːr/ to /vəl/.”,
Marvel has no silent letters in careful speech; though in rapid connected speech the /r/ can vanish in non-rhotic accents and the final /əl/ may sound like a schwa + l. The key is clear first syllable with /ɑː/ and the /v/ beginning of the second syllable. The word’s simplicity hides timing: the most important part is the strong first syllable and a clean, quick second syllable to avoid an over-emphasized /v/.
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