wonder

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To want to know something; to ask yourself about it.

   I wonder who left this note on my desk.

2. 2
   noun

   A feeling of surprise and admiration at something beautiful or amazing.

   The children stared at the fireworks in wonder.

3. 3
   noun

   Something that causes amazement or admiration.

   The pyramids are one of the great wonders of the world.

4. 4
   verb

   To feel doubt or curiosity about something.

   She wondered whether she had made the right choice.

Common collocations

• childlike wonder Adjective + noun
• natural wonder Adjective + noun
• fill with wonder Verb + noun
• inspire wonder Verb + noun

From Middle English wonder, wunder, from Old English wundor (“wonder, miracle, marvel”), from Proto-West Germanic *wundr, from Proto-Germanic *wundrą. Cognate with Scots wunner (“wonder”), West Frisian wonder, wûnder (“wonder, miracle”), Dutch wonder (“miracle, wonder”), Low German wunner, wunder (“wonder”), German Wunder (“miracle, wonder”), Danish, Norwegian and Swedish under (“wonder, miracle”), Icelandic undur (“wonder”). The verb is from Middle English wondren, from Old English wundrian, which is from Proto-Germanic *wundrōną. Cognate with Saterland Frisian wunnerje, West Frisian wûnderje…

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