maravilhoso

Maravilhoso is the Portuguese adjective meaning marvelous or wonderful. It describes quality or affective admiration toward a person, object, experience, or place. The feminine form is maravilhosa; the plural forms are maravilhosos and maravilhosas. It is common in everyday speech in both Brazilian and European Portuguese, and its use ranges from informal praise to neutral description, often carrying varying degrees of emphasis depending on the context.

Etymology and form. Maravilhoso derives from maravilha, the noun meaning wonder or marvel. Maravilha itself comes from Latin mirabilia, via Old French merveille, and entered Portuguese with the sense of something remarkable. The adjective was formed by adding the suffix -oso to maravilha, yielding maravilhoso (masculine singular), maravilhosa (feminine singular), maravilhosos (masculine plural), and maravilhosas (feminine plural).

Usage. Maravilhoso conveys a strong positive evaluation, similar to the English "marvelous" or "wonderful." It can modify people (uma pessoa maravilhosa), objects (um prato maravilhoso), or experiences (uma viagem maravilhosa). In some contexts it can be hyperbolic or affectionate. In more formal writing, synonyms such as excelente or magnífico might be preferred.

Related terms. Related forms include maravilha (noun), maravilhar (to amaze), and maravilhosamente or maravilhosamente (adverbs). In other Romance languages, cognates exist such as Spanish maravillosо, while English equivalents include marvelous or wonderful.