miraculous
UK[mɪˈrækjələs]US[mɪˈrækjələs]
adj
of the nature of a miracle; having or working by a power apparently beyond human means
adj
wonderful; marvelous
Morpheme Breakdown
mira
cul
ous
mira
wonder
cul
small
ous
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word miraculous traces its lineage to the latin adjective 'miraculum', meaning an object of wonder or a marvel, which itself derives from 'mirari', to wonder at. the core root 'mira' is connected to the proto-indo-european 'smei-', meaning to laugh or smile, reflecting an early association with pleasurable astonishment. the latin suffix '-culum' acted as a diminutive or instrumental marker, subtly shaping 'miraculum' into "a little wonder" or "a cause for wonder." entering english via old french in the 15th century, the adjectival form 'miraculous' evolved to describe anything possessing the extraordinary quality of a miracle, effectively meaning "full of wonder."
Analysis
Structure: mira (wonder) + cul (small) + ous (adjective suffix)
mira is from latin 'mirus' meaning wonderful, astonishing. cul is a diminutive suffix from latin '-culus'. ous is an adjective-forming suffix from latin '-osus' meaning full of.
Examples
the patient made a miraculous recovery after the experimental treatment.
it was nothing short of miraculous that everyone survived the crash.
the ancient artifact was preserved in a miraculous state.