Nearby Words

mysterious

[mi-steer-ee-uhs] Example Sentences Origin

mys·te·ri·ous

[mi-steer-ee-uhs]
adjective
1.
full of, characterized by, or involving mystery: a mysterious occurrence.
2.
implying or suggesting a mystery: a mysterious smile.
3.
of obscure nature, meaning, origin, etc.; puzzling; inexplicable: a mysterious inscription on the ancient tomb.

Origin:
1610–20; mystery1 + -ous

mys·te·ri·ous·ly, adverb
mys·te·ri·ous·ness, noun
qua·si-mys·te·ri·ous, adjective
qua·si-mys·te·ri·ous·ly, adverb
un·mys·te·ri·ous, adjective
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un·mys·te·ri·ous·ly, adverb
un·mys·te·ri·ous·ness, noun
COLLAPSE


1. secret, esoteric, occult, cryptic. Mysterious, inscrutable, mystical, obscure refer to that which is not easily comprehended or explained. That which is mysterious, by being unknown or puzzling, excites curiosity, amazement, or awe: a mysterious disease. Inscrutable applies to that which is impenetrable, so enigmatic that one cannot interpret its significance: an inscrutable smile. That which is mystical has a secret significance, such as that attaching to certain rites or signs: mystical symbols. That which is obscure is discovered or comprehended dimly or with difficulty: obscure motives. 3. unfathomable, unintelligible, incomprehensible, enigmatic, impenetrable.

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Mysterious is always a great word to know.
So is interrobang. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.
Example Sentences
  • Stunning new images reveal the marvelous and mysterious world inside our heads.
  • Yet the mysterious poems were anything but sweet.
  • Cougars are large, charismatic, mysterious predators.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
mysterious (mɪˈstɪərɪəs)
 
adj
1.  characterized by or indicative of mystery
2.  puzzling, curious, or enigmatic
 
mys'teriously
 
adv
 
mys'teriousness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

mysterious
1610s, "full of mystery," from L. mysterium (see mystery (1)). Related: Mysteriously.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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