mystery

¹ American  

[mis-tuh-ree, -tree] / ˈmɪs tə ri, -tri /

noun

• mysteries
  plural

1. anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown.

   the mysteries of nature.

2. any affair, thing, or person that presents features or qualities so obscure as to arouse curiosity or speculation.

   The masked guest is an absolute mystery to everyone.

3. a novel, short story, play, or film whose plot involves a crime or other event that remains puzzlingly unsettled until the very end.

   a mystery by Agatha Christie.

4. obscure, puzzling, or mysterious quality or character.

   the mystery of Mona Lisa's smile.

   Synonyms:

   secrecy, mystique, obscurity, ambiguity, riddle, secret, problem, puzzle, enigma

5. any truth that is unknowable except by divine revelation.

6. (in the Christian religion)

   1. a sacramental rite.

   2. Eucharist.

7. an incident or scene in connection with the life of Christ, regarded as of special significance.

   the mysteries of the Passion.

8. any of the 15 events in the lives of Christ and the Virgin Mary meditated upon during the recitation of the rosary.

9. mysteries,

   1. ancient religions that admitted candidates by secret rites and rituals the meaning of which was known only to initiated worshipers.

   2. any rites or secrets known only to those initiated.

      the mysteries of Freemasonry.

   3. (in the Christian religion) the Eucharistic elements.

10. mystery play.

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mystery ² American  

[mis-tuh-ree] / ˈmɪs tə ri /

noun

Archaic.

• mysteries
  plural

1. a craft or trade.

2. a guild, as of merchants.

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mystery ¹ British  

/ ˈmɪstərɪ, -trɪ /

noun

1. an unexplained or inexplicable event, phenomenon, etc

2. a person or thing that arouses curiosity or suspense because of an unknown, obscure, or enigmatic quality

3. the state or quality of being obscure, inexplicable, or enigmatic

4. a story, film, etc, which arouses suspense and curiosity because of facts concealed

5. Christianity any truth that is divinely revealed but otherwise unknowable

6. Christianity a sacramental rite, such as the Eucharist, or ( when plural ) the consecrated elements of the Eucharist

7. (often plural) any of various rites of certain ancient Mediterranean religions

8. short for mystery play

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mystery ² British  

/ ˈmɪstərɪ /

noun

1. a trade, occupation, or craft

2. a guild of craftsmen

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mysteries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mystery¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English misteri(e), from Latin mystērium “a secret,” (plural) mystēria “secret rites,” from Greek mystḗrion, equivalent to mýs(tēs) “an initiate (into the Eleusinian mysteries)” + -tērion noun suffix; see also mystic)

Origin of mystery²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English misteri(e) “ministry, office; handicraft, art; guild” from Old French mistere and Medieval Latin misterium, variant of Latin ministerium ministry, confused with mystērium mystery ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

A mystery is something that baffles our understanding and cannot be explained. The giant slabs of Stonehenge, remain a mystery to this day. The noun mystery comes from the Greek mysterion, meaning "secret rite or doctrine." A great synonym for secret is enigma. We use this word all the time to describe stuff we don't understand, from crop circles and UFOs to the origins of the universe and the workings of the human brain. In literature, drama, and film, a mystery is a story that centers around a crime, usually murder, which finally gets solved at the very end.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mystery mysteries

At once pragmatic and playful, Anderson seems to be taking on the world these days like someone who’s unraveled a deeper mystery.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

The catch: Quantities are limited, seat locations are a mystery until show day, and fans must pick up tickets in person at the box office to keep resellers at bay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Then you sound out those highlighted letters, pronounced as they appear in the original clue answers, to solve the final mystery word.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

All that said, experts stress that there's still a degree of mystery about Britain's vaccination problem.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

The exact date of when Boo came into the Very, Very Far North remains a mystery.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Watching “Scooby-Doo” as a child, I came away with two clear ambitions for adulthood: a side gig solving mysteries and a refrigerator always full of sandwich ingredients.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026

And it is great, the way that Stonehenge is great, another astronomical instrument straining at the bounds of human expression to convey our silent wonder at the mysteries of the cosmos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Lewis told me there are still so many mysteries about the tapestry.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Dark matter has long been one of astronomy's greatest mysteries.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

This faith was part of the mysteries of Eleusis.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

• conundrum
• enigma
• problem
• question
• riddle
• secrecy
• subtlety
• thriller