miracle

B1 Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ˈmɪɹ.ə.kəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #2207

Meanings

1

noun
An amazing event that cannot be explained by the laws of nature and is believed to be caused by God.

Many religions tell stories of miracles.
2

noun
A very lucky or wonderful event that seems almost impossible.

It was a miracle that everyone survived the crash.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms miracles

Derived forms miracle-mongermiraclemongermiraclistmiraculous miraculouslymiraculousnessoutmiracleunmiracle

Appears in

Phrases (1)

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miracle worker
someone believed or claimed to perform extraordinary acts through miraculous power

Noun + noun

Proverbs (1)

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Wonders never cease
Matching variant: Miracles will never cease

Simplified etymology

Miracle entered English in the Middle Ages from Latin miraculum, “an object of wonder.” Miraculum was formed from mirus, “wonderful,” which also lies behind admiration and marvel.

Etymology

From Middle English miracle, from Old French miracle, from Latin mīrāculum (“object of wonder”), from mīror (“to wonder at”), from mīrus (“wonderful”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meyh₂- (“to smile, to be astonished”). Doublet of milagro and miraculum. Partially displaced native wonder, from Old English wundor (“miracle, wonder”).

*(s)mey- Proto-Indo-European miracle Middle English mīrāculum Latin *(s)meyh₂- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# miracle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈmɪɹ.ə.kəl/
**Frequency rank:** 2207

## Meanings
1. An amazing event that cannot be explained by the laws of nature and is believed to be caused by God.
2. A very lucky or wonderful event that seems almost impossible.

## Examples
- Many religions tell stories of miracles.
- It was a miracle that everyone survived the crash.

## Derived Forms
- miracle-monger
- miraclemonger
- miraclist
- miraculous
- miraculously
- miraculousness
- outmiracle
- unmiracle

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *(s)mey-
- Root: miracle
- Root: mīrāculum
- Root: *(s)meyh₂-

## Etymology
From Middle English miracle, from Old French miracle, from Latin mīrāculum (“object of wonder”), from mīror (“to wonder at”), from mīrus (“wonderful”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meyh₂- (“to smile, to be astonished”). Doublet of milagro and miraculum. Partially displaced native wonder, from Old English wundor (“miracle, wonder”).

## AI Etymology
Miracle comes from Middle English miracle, from Old French miracle, from Latin mīrāculum (“object of wonder”), from mīror (“to wonder at”), from mīrus (“wonderful”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meyh₂- (“to smile, to be astonished”). Doublet of milagro and miraculum. Partially displaced native wonder, from Old English wundor (“miracle, wonder”). In present-day English its meanings include an amazing event that cannot be explained by the laws of nature and is believed to be caused by God and a very lucky or wonderful event that seems almost impossible. The historical chain runs through *(s)mey- (Proto-Indo-European), miracle (Middle English), miracle (Old French), mīrāculum (Latin), and *(s)meyh₂- (Proto-Indo-European).

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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