flashed his … smile and waved with the panache of a big-city mayor—Joe Morgenstern
Illustration of panache
panache 1
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Few literary characters can match the panache of French poet and soldier Cyrano de Bergerac, from Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play of the same name. In his dying moments, Cyrano declares that the one thing left to him is his panache, and that assertion at once demonstrates the meaning of the word and draws upon its history. In both French and English, panache (which traces back to Late Latin pinnaculum, “small wing”) originally referred to a showy, feathery plume on a hat or helmet; our familiar figurative sense debuted in the first English translation of Rostand’s play, which made the literal plume a metaphor for Cyrano’s unflagging verve even in death. In a 1903 speech Rostand himself described panache: “A little frivolous perhaps, most certainly a little theatrical, panache is nothing but a grace which is so difficult to retain in the face of death, a grace which demands so much strength that, all the same, it is a grace … which I wish for all of us.”
Examples of panache in a Sentence
She played the role of hostess with great panache.
Recent Examples on the WebWhile some are thriving contemporary communities, others are historic ghost towns with Wild West panache — and both warrant a visit.—Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2024 Blending Porsche panache with TAG Heuer‘s mechanical chronograph technology, this new collaboration further seals the long-standing bond between these two legendary brands.—Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 13 June 2024 The result is a lovely and beautifully sung reminder of why one of theater’s most recognizable names continues to solve the riddles of our world with panache and poignance.—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 13 June 2024 After a minor dip in visual and narrative panache, Expats returns with a loaded, claustrophobic fourth episode that pits the characters against one another and against themselves.—Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for panache
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'panache.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle French pennache, from Old Italian pennacchio, from Late Latin pinnaculum small wing — more at pinnacle
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