# marcel

/mɑɹˈsɛɫ/ (US) · /mɑːsˈɛl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/marcel
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a hairstyle

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a hairstyle with deep, regular waves made with a hot curling iron.

For teachers: a hairstyle characterized by deep, uniform waves created with a heated curling iron, popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

- The actress wore her hair in a classic marcel for the period movie.
- The salon specialized in vintage aesthetics, offering authentic marcels to clients seeking a 1920s flapper appearance.

Usage: Often used as 'marcel wave'.

Teaching tip: This term is largely historical; modern speakers would likely use 'vintage waves' or 'finger waves' unless discussing hair history.

### 2. to wave hair

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic

to style hair into deep waves using a special iron.

For teachers: to produce deep, regular waves in the hair using the marcel technique. Transitive — takes a direct object.

- She had her hair marcelled for the fancy costume party.
- The stylist carefully marcelled the model's bob to achieve the precise geometric look required for the historical fashion shoot.

Usage: Usually appears in the past participle form 'marcelled'.

Teaching tip: The verb form is extremely rare in modern English outside of specialized historical or cosmetology contexts.

## Examples

- She wore her hair in a classic marcel for the vintage party.
- The actress spent hours in the dressing room having her hair set into a perfect marcel for the period drama.
- While modern stylists use various techniques for waves, the original marcel required precise manual dexterity with heavy irons to achieve its signature deep, uniform ridges.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.