mystery

1 of 2

noun (1)

mys·​tery ˈmi-st(ə-)rē How to pronounce mystery (audio)
plural mysteries
Synonyms of mysterynext
1
a
: something not understood or beyond understanding : enigma
The mystery of his disappearance has never been solved.
b
: a piece of fiction dealing usually with the solution of a mysterious crime
Reading mysteries was her favorite pastime.
c
: the secret or specialized practices or ritual peculiar to an occupation or a body of people
the mysteries of the tailor's craft
d
obsolete : a private secret
2
: profound, inexplicable, or secretive quality or character
the mystery of her smile
the mysteries and beauties of nature
3
a
: a religious truth that one can know only by revelation and cannot fully understand
the mystery of the Trinity
b(1)
: any of the 20 events (such as the Nativity, the Crucifixion, or the Assumption) serving as a subject for meditation during the saying of the rosary
(2)
capitalized : a Christian sacrament
specifically : eucharist
c(1)
: a secret religious rite believed (as in Eleusinian and Mithraic cults) to impart enduring bliss to the initiate
(2)
: a cult devoted to such rites
4
: mystery play

mystery

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural mysteries
1
archaic : trade, craft
2
archaic : a body of persons engaged in a particular trade, business, or profession : guild

Synonyms

Noun (1)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for mystery

mystery, problem, enigma, riddle, puzzle mean something which baffles or perplexes.

mystery applies to what cannot be fully understood by reason or less strictly to whatever resists or defies explanation.

the mystery of the stone monoliths

problem applies to a question or difficulty calling for a solution or causing concern.

problems created by high technology

enigma applies to utterance or behavior that is very difficult to interpret.

his suicide remains an enigma

riddle suggests an enigma or problem involving paradox or apparent contradiction.

the riddle of the reclusive pop star

puzzle applies to an enigma or problem that challenges ingenuity for its solution.

the thief's motives were a puzzle for the police

Examples of mystery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
An Omaha auction house was clearing out a bunch of old items acquired by a defunct local film distributor, and Huggins thought $20 was a bargain for a box of mystery reels. —Cathy Free, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024 Until then, viewers spend the better part of the eight-episode season trudging through a rote mystery weighed down by clumsy dialogue and wooden performances. —Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024 Climate change is no mystery in the kingdom, where summer temperatures have been soaring to unlivable highs. —Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024 That left everyone scratching their heads a bit, until Kish explained that there’s a picturesque peninsula three hours north called Door County. Door County is known for its cherry production, and while those cherries would be the star of each dish, a mystery lay behind those doors. —Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024 Every year since, Child has dropped a new Reacher mystery that finds the brooding introvert roaming the country and pitching in to investigate mysterious situations, usually pummeling bad guys along the way. —Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024 Who is your favorite Golden Age mystery writer and why? —Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024 That’s the driving force behind Synchronic, a movie in which a paramedic (Anthony Mackie) gets enmeshed in a mystery surrounding several people dying or being driven insane by an exotic new designer drug. —Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2024 Sunday’s report is the latest episode in an ongoing saga to unravel a mystery that began when personnel at the U.S. embassy in Cuba began seeking medical care for hearing loss and ear-ringing after reporting sudden weird noises. —Bradford Betz, Fox News, 31 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mystery.' 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

Noun (1)

Middle English mysterie "hidden religious truth, rite or event with religious significance, hidden meaning," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French misterie, borrowed from Late Latin mystērium "hidden religious truth revealed by God, religious rite, Eucharist," going back to Latin (in plural mystēria), "secret religious rites, things not to be divulged," borrowed from Greek mystḗrion, plural mystḗria "religious rite to which only initiates may be admitted, secret" (in the New Testament, "religious truth revealed by God"), from mys-, base of mýstēs "person initiated (into a religious cult)" + -tērion, suffix in words denoting instruments, place and ceremonies (derivative of -tēr, agent suffix) — more at mystic entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English mysterie "ministry, office, craft," borrowed from Medieval Latin misterium "duty, office, occupation, trade," in part Latinization of Anglo-French mester, mister (continental Old French mestier) "function, duty, pursuit, trade, craft, guild" (going back to Late Latin mīsterium, variant of Latin ministerium "office of a servant or attendant, duty, support"), in part borrowed directly from Late Latin — more at ministry

Note: Medieval and Late Latin misterium are conventionally explained as a conflation of ministerium and Late Latin mystērium "hidden religious truth, religious rite, Eucharist" (see mystery entry 1), though a Late Latin form mīsterium (assuming manuscript spellings are early) would be a natural outcome of ministerium with loss of the pre-tonic vowel and nasal consonant.

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mystery was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing mystery

Dictionary Entries Near mystery

mysterize

mystery

mystery clock

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Mystery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mystery. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

mystery

noun
mys·​tery
ˈmis-t(ə-)rē
plural mysteries
1
a
: a religious truth that cannot be fully understood
b
: any of the 15 events (as the Nativity, the Crucifixion, or the Assumption) which serve as subjects for meditation by Roman Catholics as they say the rosary
2
a
: something that has not been or cannot be explained
where they went is a mystery
b
: a deep secret
kept their plans a mystery
3
: a work of fiction dealing with the solution of a mysterious crime

More from Merriam-Webster on mystery

Nglish: Translation of mystery for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of mystery for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mystery

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