wonder

Etymology

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

1. Something that causes amazement or awe; a marvel.
   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. 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 8, in Mr. Pratt's Patients
2. Something astonishing and seemingly inexplicable.
   The idea was so crazy that it is a wonder that anyone went along with it.
3. Someone very talented at something, a genius.
   He's a wonder at cooking.
4. The sense or emotion which can be inspired by something curious or unknown; surprise; astonishment, often with awe or reverence.
   All wonder is the effect of novelty upon ignorance. 1781, Samuel Johnson, The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets
   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 (the messenger of heaven) is the child of Thaumas (wonder). 1871, Plato, Benjamin Jowett (translator), Theaetetus (section 155d)
   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. 1953, Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
5. (UK, informal) A mental pondering, a thought.
   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. 1934, Katharine Tynan, The house of dreams
6. (US) A kind of donut; a cruller.

verb

1. (intransitive) To be affected with surprise or admiration; to be struck with astonishment; to be amazed; to marvel; often followed by at.
2. (transitive, intransitive) To ponder; to feel doubt and curiosity; to query in the mind.
   He wondered whether penguins could fly. She had wondered this herself sometimes.