merveilleux

/mɛɹ.veɪˈjə/

Etymology

From the French merveilleux. Doublet of marvellous.

noun

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