panache

noun

pa·​nache pə-ˈnash How to pronounce panache (audio) -ˈnäsh How to pronounce panache (audio)
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 mayorJoe Morgenstern

Illustration of panache

Illustration of panache
  • panache 1

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
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.
Leading his supporters into ideological and political battles with boldness and charisma, despite his extreme views Le Pen's panache became a hallmark of his enduring presence on the French political stage. Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025 Meanwhile, at $191,000 to start, this new Vantage also costs less than a Porsche 911 Turbo, and much less than a Turbo S—but with plenty more power and panache than both. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024 The goal is something timeless and not overworked; understated glamour with ethereal panache. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 26 Dec. 2024 But these pseudo-philosophical musings on the nature of free will and fate, which wouldn’t sound especially out of place in a stoned freshman’s dorm room, are at least presented with some panache, as a vengeful orphan challenges a crumbling city’s unfeeling ruler to a game of Go. Scott Meslow, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for panache 

Word History

Etymology

Middle French pennache, from Old Italian pennacchio, from Late Latin pinnaculum small wing — more at pinnacle

First Known Use

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of panache was in 1553

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near panache

Cite this Entry

“Panache.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panache. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!