involving or characterized by esoteric, otherworldly, or symbolic practices or content, as certain religious ceremonies and art; spiritually significant; ethereal.
of the nature of or pertaining to mysteries known only to the initiated.
mystic rites.
of occult character, power, or significance.
a mystic formula.
of obscure or mysterious character or significance.
of or relating to mystics or mysticism.
a person who claims to attain, or believes in the possibility of attaining, insight into mysteries transcending ordinary human knowledge, as by direct communication with the divine or immediate intuition in a state of spiritual ecstasy.
a person initiated into religious mysteries.
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English mystik, from Latin mysticus, from Greek mystikós, from mýst(ēs) “an initiate into the mysteries” (from myeîn “to initiate, teach,” akin to mýein “to shut”; cf. myopia ( def. )) + -ikos -ic
Look into my crystal ball; tell me what you see. If there's something about the future, something beyond human comprehension in there, maybe you're a mystic or someone who believes in supernatural realities. One of the most famous mystics in history is Nostradamus, who some people credit with predicting events like the French Revolution and the atom bomb. Whether you believe in mystics or not, the word is not just used to describe people. When something is mystic, it has to do with religious mysteries and practices or it simply inspires a sense of mystery or wonder, like the Himalaya Mountains, which some people consider a mystic place.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, an Irish mapmaker and his family endure poverty and take strength from a connection to the mystic past.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
An entrancing set of 13 Glass songs to texts by the 13th-century mystic Jalal al-Din Rumi was supposed to serve as the framework for pioneering 21st-century opera with 3D imagery.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2025
It was this identification with Derbyshire that led Tutti to write Re-Sisters in 2002, which also focused on another non-conformist woman, the medieval Norfolk mystic Margery Kempe.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2025
Healy Lake members, Combs said, have long considered their dogs to be mystic companions.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2024
But Father’s patience, his almost mystic rapport with the harmonies of watchworks, these were not things that could be taught.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
“The word Mystic has also become a driving force of what this journey means to me,” Saleh says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
Saleh created her brand Mystic by Esme in 2021, but it took her some time before she could gather the courage to try to sell them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
David Standridge, chef at The Shipwright's Daughter in Mystic, Connecticut – a 2026 James Beard finalist for Outstanding Chef of the Year – is one of them.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
The Eastland family that owns the camp instead was planning to host girls at the neighboring Camp Mystic Cypress Lake.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
It was the same advertisement for Madam Lucille, the All-Seeing Mystic, that I’d seen in the newspaper.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Muslims ruled large parts of India from the early 13th to the 19th century, and during this era Muslim preachers and Sufi mystics actively proselytized for Islam.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
Baba is a commonly used term in India to refer to mystics and religious gurus and also to fathers or grandfathers by both Hindus and Muslims.
From BBC ● Feb. 12, 2026
Myanmar has a rich culture of fortune-telling, and many believe the future can be discerned by mystics.
From Barron's ● Dec. 21, 2025
Unlike some of the bolder mystics of medieval Europe, however, she is relatively circumspect about her powers and thus attracts little unwanted attention.
From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2024
“Do you know why Mercy still sought out healers and mystics all those years later?”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
