mystic

¹ American  

[mis-tik] / ˈmɪs tɪk /

adjective

1. involving or characterized by esoteric, otherworldly, or symbolic practices or content, as certain religious ceremonies and art; spiritually significant; ethereal.

2. of the nature of or pertaining to mysteries known only to the initiated.

   mystic rites.

3. of occult character, power, or significance.

   a mystic formula.

4. of obscure or mysterious character or significance.

5. of or relating to mystics or mysticism.

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noun

1. 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.

2. a person initiated into religious mysteries.

Mystic ² American  

[mis-tik] / ˈmɪs tɪk /

noun

1. a section of Groton, in SE Connecticut: maritime museum.

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mystic British  

/ ˈmɪstɪk /

noun

1. a person who achieves mystical experience or an apprehension of divine mysteries

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adjective

1. another word for mystical

Other Word Forms

• antimystic adjective
• mysticity noun
• mysticly adverb
• nonmystic adjective
• semimystic adjective
• unmystic adjective

Etymology

Origin of mystic

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

But those readers who have discovered “The Marble Faun,” his shadowy and mystic last novel, know a very different writer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

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

He was particularly intrigued by the school of mystic painters inspired by the West Coast’s landscapes.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2025

Healy Lake members, Combs said, have long considered their dogs to be mystic companions.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2024

The oracles all had special sacred places, caves or grottoes or specially built temples, and there were all sorts of far-out things connected with them like sacred fires and mystic vapors and magical statues.

From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Related Words

• mystical
• otherworldly
• supernatural