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

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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. )

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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

The brain is a complicated organ, and it would be nearly impossible to try to solve this mystery in these pages.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

The amount a mystery billionaire paid to assemble a 19-acre beachfront compound in Naples, Fla., across two secretive transactions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

This audacious mystery makes an ideal premise for a novel, where Schoenbrun can toy with reader expectations without the added task of ensuring that the final image reflects their objective.

From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026

There are a number of ways, substantial and superficial, that “Nocturne,” a sort of murder mystery premiering Friday on Apple TV, announces itself as a class act.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

But the mystery was why they would automatically fear it.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

Your burning questions, answered: In the special segment Decoder Rings Back, host Willa Paskin answers listeners’ queries about cultural mysteries.

From Slate ● Oct. 27, 2026

Whether spiders actually dream remains unknown, but their nighttime behavior is offering scientists new clues about one of biology's most enduring mysteries.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 27, 2026

Our stories of justice, from murder mysteries to tales of thwarted romance, invariably climax not with revelation but with confession.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

The achievement marks an important step toward the telescope's ambitious mission to investigate dark matter, dark energy, and other mysteries of the universe.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

“He changed. But you came into this dark place filled with mysteries, wonders, and terrors beyond your imagination”—she stuck her hand out, palm first, and swept it though the air dramatically—“to save him.”

From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu

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Related Words

• conundrum
• enigma
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• thriller

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