Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

mary sue

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.11 in modern English

Syllables: mary -sue
IPA

12

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A fictional character, usually female, whose implausible talents and likeability weaken the story.

Derogatory; Slang

Example Sentences

"Bella may be a Mary Sue, but if we don't identify with her, and even if we do, there's no other interpretive place for us in the universe."
"She was a mashup of ideals that made her feel very fake; a Mary Sue who was popular, pretty, athletic, artistic, all the while loved by everyone who met her."
"So here's a radical suggestion: instead of being concerned about whether her Mary Sue flawlessness is a problem, why not, just this once, enjoy it for what it is?"
"There is one, and only one, previously unheard of flaw that keeps Nanase from being the merriest of Mary Sues. That flaw is..."

Etymology

From the name of an intentionally over-the-top character in the 1973 Star Trek parody fan fiction A Trekkie's Tale by Paula Smith.

Usage

Inflected Forms

Mary Sues (plural)

Derived Forms

Sueish Suethor

Phrases

Mary Sueish self-insert

Frequently Paired Words

self-insert

Synonyms

Sue

Questions

What does mary sue mean?: A fictional character, usually female, whose implausible talents and likeability weaken the story.
Where does mary sue come from?: From the name of an intentionally over-the-top character in the 1973 Star Trek parody fan fiction A Trekkie's Tale by Paula Smith.

How to pronounce mary sue

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