Home / Dictionary / Mysterious

Mysterious Common

Origin: Latin suffix -ous

Mysterious has 3 different meanings across 1 category:

Adjective

Definitions
Adjective
1

of an obscure nature

"the new insurance policy is written without cryptic or mysterious terms"

"a deep dark secret"

"the inscrutable workings of Providence"

"in its mysterious past it encompasses all the dim origins of life"

"rituals totally mystifying to visitors from other lands"

2

having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding

"mysterious symbols"

"the mystical style of Blake"

"occult lore"

"the secret learning of the ancients"

3

Of unknown origin.

"The origins of the ancient ruins remain mysterious to archaeologists today."

Example Sentences
"the new insurance policy is written without cryptic or mysterious terms" adjective
"a deep dark secret" adjective
"the inscrutable workings of Providence" adjective
"in its mysterious past it encompasses all the dim origins of life" adjective
"rituals totally mystifying to visitors from other lands" adjective
"mysterious symbols" adjective
"the mystical style of Blake" adjective
"occult lore" adjective
"the secret learning of the ancients" adjective
Related Terms

Origin

The word mysterious comes from the Old French term for "secret" or "hidden," which itself was borrowed directly from a Greek root meaning something reserved only for initiates in religious rituals. It entered English through Middle French and Latin before being adapted with an "-ous" suffix to describe things that are difficult to understand or explain.

Rhyming Words
ous lous pous vous sous yous nous tous eous uous ious bous hous pious anous thous chous aneous mucous famous
Compare
Mysterious vs