mysterious
English
Etymology
From Middle French mystérieux. English mystery + -ous.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /mɪˈstɪəɹi.əs/
- (General American) IPA(key): /mɪˈstɪɹi.əs/, /məˈstɪɹi.əs/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɪəɹiəs
Adjective
mysterious (comparative more mysterious, superlative most mysterious)
- Of unknown origin.
- Synonym: untraceable
- He received a mysterious phone call this morning.
- Having unknown qualities.
- Synonyms: esoteric, uncertain, undefined; see also Thesaurus:mysterious
- Hyponyms: anonymous, faceless, unexplored, unnamed, long-mysterious
- Our boss is a mysterious man who hardly ever meets with us.
- 1780, William Cowper, “Light Shining out of Darkneſs”, in Twenty-ſix Letters on Religious Subjects […] To which are added Hymns […] , 4th edition, page 252:
- God moves in a myſterious way, / His wonders to perform; / He plants his footſteps in the ſea, / And rides upon the ſtorm.
- Difficult to understand.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:incomprehensible
- Why he left without saying goodbye is quite mysterious.
- Deliberately evasive or enigmatic.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:covert
- Stop being mysterious and just tell me what you want.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
of unknown origin
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having unknown qualities
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difficult to understand
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deliberately evasive or enigmatic
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Translations to be checked
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