adj
mysterious
mih-STEER-ree-uhs
adj
1
Difficult to understand or explain; hard to figure out.
"The house had a mysterious atmosphere that unsettled visitors."
"His sudden disappearance remains mysterious to this day."
2
Deliberately vague or secretive about something.
"She was being mysterious about her weekend plans."
How to Use Mysterious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething puzzling, unexplained, or intentionally kept secret.
Common pairings
mysterious circumstances
mysterious disappearance
mysterious stranger
Word Forms
more mysterious comparative, most mysterious superlative
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Etymology
From Middle French mystérieux, ultimately from Latin mysterium ("mystery").