Definitions for mystery
ˈmɪs tə ri, -trimys·te·ry

Princeton's WordNet(1.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. mystery, enigma, secret, closed booknoun

   something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

   "how it got out is a mystery"; "it remains one of nature's secrets"

2. mystery, mystery story, whodunitnoun

   a story about a crime (usually murder) presented as a novel or play or movie

Wiktionary(3.00 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. mysterynoun

   Something secret or unexplainable; unknown.

   The truth behind the events remains a mystery.

2. mysterynoun

   Someone or thing with an obscure or puzzling nature.

   That man is a mystery.

3. mysterynoun

   A particular event or series of events in the life of Christ.

   The second decade of the Rosary concerns the Sorrowful mysteries, such as the crucifixion and the crowning with thorns.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. MYSTERYnoun

   Etymology: μνστήριον; mystere, Fr.

   1. Something above human intelligence; something awfully obscure.

   They can judge as fitly of his worth,
   As I can of those mysteries which heav’n
   Will not have earth to know. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

   Upon holy days, let the matter of your meditations be according to the mystery of the day; and to your ordinary devotions of every day, add the prayer which is fitted to the mystery. Taylor.

   If God should please to reveal unto us this great mystery of the trinity, or some other mysteries in our holy religion, we should not be able to understand them, unless he would bestow on us some new faculties of the mind. Jonathan Swift, Serm.

   2. An enigma; any thing artfully made difficult.

   To thy great comfort in this mystery of ill opinions, here’s the twin brother of thy letter. William Shakespeare, Mer. Wives of Windsor.

   Important truths still let your fables hold,
   And moral mysteries with art unfold. George Granville.

   3. A trade; a calling: in this sense it should, according to Warburton, be written mistery, from mestiero, French, a trade.

   And that which is the noblest mysterie,
   Brings to reproach and common infamy. Hubberd’s Tale.

   Instruction, manners, mysteries and trades,
   Degrees, observances, customs and laws,
   Decline to your confounding contraries. William Shakespeare.

Webster Dictionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Mysteryadjective

   a profound secret; something wholly unknown, or something kept cautiously concealed, and therefore exciting curiosity or wonder; something which has not been or can not be explained; hence, specifically, that which is beyond human comprehension

2. Mysteryadjective

   a kind of secret religious celebration, to which none were admitted except those who had been initiated by certain preparatory ceremonies; -- usually plural; as, the Eleusinian mysteries

3. Mysteryadjective

   the consecrated elements in the eucharist

4. Mysteryadjective

   anything artfully made difficult; an enigma

5. Mysterynoun

   a trade; a handicraft; hence, any business with which one is usually occupied

6. Mysterynoun

   a dramatic representation of a Scriptural subject, often some event in the life of Christ; a dramatic composition of this character; as, the Chester Mysteries, consisting of dramas acted by various craft associations in that city in the early part of the 14th century

7. Etymology: [OE. mistere, OF. mestier, F. mtier, L. ministerium. See Ministry.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Mystery

   Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term. It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction—in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction. The term "mystery fiction" may sometimes be limited to the subset of detective stories in which the emphasis is on the puzzle/suspense element and its logical solution, as a contrast to hardboiled detective stories, which focus on action and gritty realism. Although normally associated with the crime genre, the term "mystery fiction" may in certain situations refer to a completely different genre, where the focus is on supernatural or thriller mystery. This usage was common in the pulp magazines of the 1930s and 1940s, where titles such as Dime Mystery, Thrilling Mystery and Spicy Mystery offered what at the time were described as "weird menace" stories—supernatural horror in the vein of Grand Guignol. This contrasted with parallel titles of the same names which contained conventional hardboiled crime fiction. The first use of "mystery" in this sense was by Dime Mystery, which started out as an ordinary crime fiction magazine but switched to "weird menace" during the latter part of 1933.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Mystery

   mis′tėr-i, n. a secret doctrine: anything very obscure: that which is beyond human knowledge to explain: anything artfully made difficult: (pl.) secret rites, in ancient religions rites known only to and practised by initiated persons, as the Eleusinian mysteries in Greece, &c.: a sacrament: a rude medieval drama founded on the historical parts of the Bible and the lives of the saints—the Basque pastorales are a survival.—adj. Mystē′rious, containing mystery: obscure: secret: incomprehensible.—adv. Mystē′riously.—n. Mystē′riousness. [M. E. mysterie—L. mysterium—Gr. mystērion—mystēs, one initiated—muein, to close the eyes.]

2. Mystery

   mis′tėr-i, n. a trade, handicraft. [M. E. mistere—O. Fr. mestier (Fr. métier)—L. ministerium—minister. Prop. mistery; the form mystery is due to confusion with the above.]

Suggested Resources(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. mystery

   Song lyrics by mystery -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by mystery on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Story

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'mystery' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4076

2. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'mystery' in Nouns Frequency: #1462

How to pronounce mystery?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say mystery in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of mystery in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of mystery in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of mystery in a Sentence

1. Suzanne Dodd:

   A mystery like this is sort of par for the course at this stage of the Voyager mission, the spacecraft are both almost 45 years old, which is far beyond what the mission planners anticipated. We're also in interstellar space -- a high-radiation environment that no spacecraft have flown in before. So there are some big challenges for the engineering team. But I think if there's a way to solve this issue with the AACS, our team will find it.

2. Letitia Elizabeth Landon:

   'Tis a strange mystery, the power of words! Life is in them, and death. A word can send The crimson colour hurrying to the cheek. Hurrying with many meanings; or can turn The current cold and deadly to the heart. Anger and fear are in them; grief and joy Are on their sound; yet slight, impalpable:-- A word is but a breath of passing air.

3. Lopez Vargas:

   While it may seem like a mystery to some, it's not.

4. Kimmie Ng:

   It is honestly the question that keeps me up at night because it really right now is a mystery.

5. Peter Keller:

   It's a big mystery.

Popularity rank by frequency of use