Mystic

How to spell mystic

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce mystic

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does mystic mean?

1. nounA person who seeks direct spiritual union with the divine through contemplation or self-surrender.
2. adjectiveRelating to spiritual mystery, hidden meaning, or experiences beyond ordinary understanding.

Mystic in a sentence

• noun

  The medieval mystic wrote in detail about her visions and prayers.

• adjective

  The old chapel had a quiet, mystic atmosphere that drew visitors.

• noun

  As a practising mystic, he spent hours each day in silent meditation.

• adjective

  She described the desert sunrise as a deeply mystic moment.

Where does mystic come from?

Language of origin: Greek

This word traces back to the Greek mystikos, meaning 'relating to secret rites or hidden mysteries'. It was built on mystes, the name for a person initiated into one of the ancient mystery cults, who in turn took it from the verb myein, meaning 'to close the eyes or lips'. The idea was that an initiate kept his mouth shut about the secret rituals, so the word carried the flavour of something sealed and hidden from outsiders. Latin adopted it as mysticus, and English received it through Old French and Church Latin in the late 1300s, first in religious senses. The same myein root sits inside the everyday word 'mystery', which is a useful reminder that the tricky vowel in the middle is a 'y', not an 'i'.

How the word is built

• myst- (from Greek mystes: an initiate sworn to secrecy)
• -ic (adjective/noun suffix)