merveilleux

M3E1R1V4E1I1L1L1E1U1X8
/mɛɹ.veɪˈjə//-ˈju//-ˈjoʊ/

noun

Contemporary names for an extravagantly dressed French fop or ‘fine lady’ of the period of the Directory (1795–1799), who affected a revival of the classical costume of Ancient Greece.

OriginFrench merveilleux →
Scrabble 23
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Meanings

merveilleux1

nounmerveilleux (plural merveilleux)

alternative Merveilleux

  1. historicalContemporary names for an extravagantly dressed French fop or ‘fine lady’ of the period of the Directory (1795–1799), who affected a revival of the classical costume of Ancient Greece.

    The Ecrouelleux, the Inconcevables, the Merveilleux, with their chins sunk in their huge cravats.

    1898, Octave Uzanne, chapter I, in Mary Loyd, transl., Fashion in Paris: The Various Phases of Feminine Taste and Æsthetics from 1797 to 1897, page 8

Merveilleux2

nounMerveilleux (plural Merveilleux)
  1. Alternative letter-case form of merveilleux.

Origin

  1. Frenchmerveilleux
  2. Englishmerveilleux

From the French merveilleux. Doublet of marvellous.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish merveilleux
  • merveilleuxFrench fop during the Directory who affected ancient Greek classical costume
Cite this entry
APA

merveilleux. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/merveilleux

MLA

“merveilleux.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/merveilleux. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “merveilleux,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/merveilleux.

Source: merveilleux on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.