mystical
Americanadjective
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relating to or characteristic of mysticism
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Christianity having a divine or sacred significance that surpasses natural human apprehension
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having occult or metaphysical significance, nature, or force
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a less common word for mysterious
Related Words
See mysterious.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of mystical
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; see mystic, -al 1
Explanation
Things that are mystical are magical or mysterious, possibly having to do with the supernatural or the occult. If you like to read fantasy stories, then you've probably read about a lot of mystical people and events. The power of a wizard is mystical — that is, magical, and not real. Witches are mystical. The unicorn is a mystical animal. Religions tend to involve mystical events, like miracles. Magicians try to make audiences believe they have mystical powers. Mystical things aren't real, but in a story or magic act, they can be fun to imagine.
Vocabulary lists containing mystical
Night
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Sugar Changed the World
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The Last Olympian
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fahima Mirzaie founded a mixed-gender Sufi dance and performing arts group called Shohood Cultural and Mystical Organization, which means The Intuition of Mystics.
From BBC • Dec. 6, 2021
Mystical experiences, as defined by William James in The Varieties of Religious Experience, possess two seemingly contradictory properties.
From Scientific American • Dec. 15, 2020
Mystical and eerie, with a flash of Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, the piece is a bracing glimpse into Mr. Zorn’s world of psychedelic color and wide-ranging inspiration.
From New York Times • Mar. 13, 2020
At a fashion show in L.A. for Mother Denim's new capsule collection, Mystical, attendees received a velvet pouch packed with crystals, with accompanying cards indicating their meaning.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2019
The white rose was the emblem of purity, and the term "Mystical Rose" is applied by the Catholic Church to the Virgin Mary.
From The South Isles of Aran by Burke, Oliver J.
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.
