Skip to the word

Added 8 October 2026

mysticism

/ˈmɪs.tɪˌsɪz.əm/ noun

Latin root: mysticus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about mysticism at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The beliefs, ideas, or thoughts of mystics.
A doctrine of direct communication or spiritual intuition of divine truth.
A transcendental union of soul or mind with the divine reality or divinity.

Origin

From mystic + -ism, from Old French mistique (“mysterious, full of mystery”), from Latin mysticus (“mystical, mystic, of secret rites”), from Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós, “secret, mystic”), from μύστης (mústēs, “one who has been initiated, initiate”) from μῡ́ω (mū́ō, “to close one's lips or eyes; initiate into the mysteries”). Compare Asturian misticismu, Catalan misticisme, French mysticisme, German Mystizismus, Italian misticismo, Portuguese misticismo, Sicilian misticisimu, Spanish misticismo.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word