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mystagogue

[mis-tuh-gawg, -gog]
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noun
  1. someone who instructs others before initiation into religious mysteries or before participation in the sacraments.
  2. a person whose teachings are said to be founded on mystical revelations.
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Origin of mystagogue

1540–50; < Latin mystagōgus < Greek mystagōgós, equivalent to mýst(ēs) (see mystic) + ágōgos -agogue
Related formsmys·ta·go·gy [mis-tuh-goh-jee, -goj-ee] /ˈmɪs təˌgoʊ dʒi, -ˌgɒdʒ i/, mys·ta·go·gue·ry [mis-tuh-gaw-guh-ree, -gog-uh-] /ˈmɪs təˌgɔ gə ri, -ˌgɒg ə-/, nounmys·ta·gog·ic [mis-tuh-goj-ik] /ˌmɪs təˈgɒdʒ ɪk/, mys·ta·gog·i·cal, adjectivemys·ta·gog·i·cal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for mystagogue

Historical Examples

  • But Barrs was too sprightly a spirit to remain a mystagogue.

    Egoists

    James Huneker

  • Henri Bergson is a mystagogue, and all mystagogues are mythomaniacs.

    Unicorns

    James Huneker

  • But the mystagogue succeeds because he gets himself misunderstood; although, as a rule, he is not even worth misunderstanding.

    All Things Considered

    G. K. Chesterton

  • Thus, with Piero for mystagogue, we enter an inner shrine of deep religious revelation.

    Renaissance in Italy Vol. 3

    John Addington Symonds

  • He founded a sect, and was called by his esoteric followers 'the mystagogue of sublime and celestial dogmas.'

British Dictionary definitions for mystagogue

mystagogue

noun
  1. (in Mediterranean mystery religions) a person who instructs those who are preparing for initiation into the mysteries
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Derived Formsmystagogic (ˌmɪstəˈɡɒdʒɪk) or mystagogical, adjectivemystagogically, adverbmystagogy (ˈmɪstəˌɡɒdʒɪ), noun

Word Origin

C16: via Latin from Greek mustagōgos, from mustēs candidate for initiation + agein to lead. See mystic
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for mystagogue

n.

"person who initiates into mysteries," 1550s, from Latin mystagogus "a guide to the mysteries," from Greek mystagogos, from mystes "one initiated into the mysteries" (see mystery (n.1)) + agogos "leading, a leader" (see act (n.)). Related: Mystagogic; mystagogical; mystagogy; mystagoguery.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper