Etimology
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, Dutch wonderen, German Low German wunnern, German wundern, Swedish undra, Icelandic undra.
noun
wonder (countable and uncountable, plural wonders)
Something that causes amazement or awe; a marvel.
Something astonishing and seemingly inexplicable.
Someone very talented at something, a genius.
The sense or emotion which can be inspired by something curious or unknown; surprise; astonishment, often with awe or reverence.
(UK, informal) A mental pondering, a thought.
(US) A kind of donut; a cruller.
Examples
Wonders of the World seem to come in sevens.
That concertina was a wonder in its way. The handles that was on it first was wore out long ago, and he'd made new ones of braided rope yarn. And the bellows was patched in more places than a cranberry picker's overalls.
The idea was so crazy that it is a wonder that anyone went along with it.
He's a wonder at cooking.
And they knew that it was hee which ſate for almes at the beautifull gate of the Temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened vnto him.
All wonder is the effect of novelty upon ignorance.
Socrates: I see, my dear Theaetetus, that Theodorus had a true insight into your nature when he said that you were a philosopher, for wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder. He was not a bad genealogist who said that Iris is the child of Thaumas .
Stuff your eyes with wonder […] live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.
Miss Paynter had a little wonder as to whether the man, as she called Mr. Lacy in her own mind, had ever been admitted to this room. She thought not.
verb
wonder (third-person singular simple present wonders, present participle wondering, simple past and past participle wondered)
(intransitive) To be affected with surprise or admiration; to be struck with astonishment; to be amazed; to marvel; often followed by at.
(transitive, intransitive) To ponder; to feel doubt and curiosity; to query in the mind.
Examples
[…] I could not ſufficiently wonder at the Intrepidity of theſe diminutive Mortals, […]
Some had read the manuſcript, and rectified its inaccuracies; others had ſeen it in a ſtate ſo imperfect, that they could not forbear to wonder at its preſent excellence; […]
The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. The three returned wondering and charmed with Mrs. Cooke; they were sure she had had no hand in the furnishing of that atrocious house.
He wondered whether penguins could fly. She had wondered this herself sometimes.
I wonder in my Soule / What you would aske me, that I ſhould deny […]
Related words
synonyms
(to ponder): See Thesaurus:ponder