mysterious
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /mɪˈstɪə̯.ɹi.əs/
ipa: /mɪˈstɪɹi.əs/
ipa: /məˈstɪɹi.əs/
rhymes: -ɪəɹiəs
Forms: form: more mysterious
form: most mysterious
Etymology: From Middle English *misterius (implied in misteriusly), probably partly from Middle French mystérieux and partly from Latin mystērium + -ous. By surface analysis, mystery + -ous.
Senses: examples: text: He received a mysterious phone call this morning.
synonyms: untraceable
glosses: Of unknown origin.
examples: text: Our boss is a mysterious man who hardly ever meets with us.
text: God moves in a myſterious way, / His wonders to perform; / He plants his footſteps in the ſea, / And rides upon the ſtorm.
ref: 1780, William Cowper, “Light Shining out of Darkneſs”, in Twenty-ſix Letters on Religious Subjects […] To which are added Hymns […] , 4th edition, page 252:
synonyms: esoteric
uncertain
undefined
glosses: Having unknown qualities.
examples: text: Why he left without saying goodbye is quite mysterious.
synonyms: word: abstruse
word: Chinese
word: dense
word: enigmatic
word: fathomless
word: Greek
word: inapprehensible
word: incognizable
word: incomprehensible
word: ineffable
word: inenubilable
word: inexplicable
word: impenetrable
word: insensible
word: inscrutable
word: insoluble
word: insolvable
word: mysterious
word: nonunderstandable
word: obscure
word: retruse
word: thick
word: undecipherable
word: undiscoverable
word: unexplainable
word: unfathomable
word: ungraspable
word: unintelligible
word: unknowable
word: ununderstandable
glosses: Difficult to understand.
examples: text: Stop being mysterious and just tell me what you want.
synonyms: word: abstruse
word: behind the scenes
word: catlike
word: stealth
word: clandestine
word: cloak-and-dagger
word: concealed
word: confidential
word: covert
word: deep-laid
word: dern
word: disguised
word: furtive
word: huggermugger
word: hush-hush
word: inconspicuous
word: incognito
word: low profile
word: lurksome
word: lurky
word: mousy
word: obfuscated
word: off-the-books
word: on the down-low
word: on the sly
word: secret
word: secretive
word: slinky
word: sly
word: sneaky
word: stealthy
word: sub rosa
word: surreptitious
word: under-the-table
word: under the radar
word: under wraps
word: undercover
word: underground
word: unperceived
glosses: Deliberately evasive or enigmatic.
Synonyms: word: arcane
word: cryptic
word: enigmatic
word: ill-defined
word: inenubilable
word: mysterial
word: mysterioso
word: mysterious
word: mystic
word: runish
word: sibylline
word: systerious
word: uncertain
word: undefined
word: undetermined
Hypernyms: word: unknown
Hyponyms: word: Unknown intent
word: sphinxlike
word: Unknown geography
word: chartless
word: pathless
word: trackless
word: uncharted
word: unexplored
word: unmapped
word: unnavigated
word: unsurveyed
word: untrodden
word: Unknown meaning
word: Delphic
word: gnomic
word: gnomical
word: oracular
word: Unknown name or identity
word: anonymous
word: faceless
word: nameless
word: unidentified
word: unnamed
word: Unknown origin
word: nontrackable
word: traceless
word: untraceable
word: untrackable
word: Unknown position
word: lost
word: unlocated
Derived terms: God works in mysterious ways
mysteriously
mysteriousness
the Lord works in mysterious ways
unmysterious
Related terms: word: mystery
word: ambiguous
word: intriguing
word: vague
word: strange