Illustration of panache
- panache 1
1
: an ornamental tuft (as of feathers) especially on a helmet
The palace guard had a panache on his helmet.
2
: dash or flamboyance in style and action : verve
flashed his … smile and waved with the panache of a big-city mayor—
Joe Morgenstern
Joe Morgenstern
Did you know?
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 Web
Gaga belongs as much to the worldview of millennial and zoomer Monsters as to the school of Carol Channing, a master of comic absurdism and musical-theater panache.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2025
Explore wabi-sabi A touch of wabi-sabi can give a minimalist bathroom just enough panache, as seen in this design by Johnston.
—Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, Architectural Digest, 11 Mar. 2025
But anyone with a fondness for panache will find themselves in a world of delight.
—Harriet Marsden, The Week Uk, theweek, 2 Dec. 2024
Here, seasonal Portuguese produce plays a starring role, supported by international influences that add an extra layer of panache to the dishes.
—Isabelle Kliger, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for panache
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2025
Explore wabi-sabi A touch of wabi-sabi can give a minimalist bathroom just enough panache, as seen in this design by Johnston.
—Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, Architectural Digest, 11 Mar. 2025
But anyone with a fondness for panache will find themselves in a world of delight.
—Harriet Marsden, The Week Uk, theweek, 2 Dec. 2024
Here, seasonal Portuguese produce plays a starring role, supported by international influences that add an extra layer of panache to the dishes.
—Isabelle Kliger, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for panache
Articles Related to panache
Cite this Entry
“Panache.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panache. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share