mystique

[mi-steek]

See more synonyms for mystique on Thesaurus.com

noun

a framework of doctrines, ideas, beliefs, or the like, constructed around a person or object, endowing the person or object with enhanced value or profound meaning: the mystique of Poe.
an aura of mystery or mystical power surrounding a particular occupation or pursuit: the mystique of nuclear science.

Origin of mystique

1890–95; < French (adj.); see mystic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for mystique

magic, nature, fascination, spell, character, attitude, glamour, charisma, complex, charm, temperament, awe

Examples from the Web for mystique

Contemporary Examples of mystique

“We were raised with this mystique about the accident being the chink in this important legacy,” she says.
The Price of Being a Patton: Wrestling With the Legacy of America’s Most Famous General
Tim Teeman
May 26, 2014
Did Jennifer Lawrence wear a new blue Mystique suit in this film?
Simon Kinberg on ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past,’ ‘The Fantastic Four’ Reboot, and Black Superheroes
Marlow Stern
May 25, 2014
For years, Goldman had the greatest cachet and mystique among this crowd.
Bridgewater May Be the Hottest Hedge Fund for Harvard Grads, but It’s Also the Weirdest
Daniel Gross
March 7, 2013
There was no mystique surrounding nuclear waste, just respect for the physical threat it posed.
At the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, a Steady Drip of Toxic Trouble
Eric Nusbaum
February 24, 2013
What once had the mystique aspired to by elite women now seemed just stuff.
Brooke Astor’s Estate Is Auctioned, and a Friend Recalls Her Fondly
Barbara Goldsmith
September 29, 2012

Historical Examples of mystique

Gebhards Italie mystique is interesting in connection with Francis.
The Mediaeval Mind (Volume I of II)
Henry Osborn Taylor

British Dictionary definitions for mystique

mystique

noun

an aura of mystery, power, and awe that surrounds a person or thingthe mystique of the theatre; the mystique of computer programming

Word Origin for mystique

C20: from French (adj): 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 mystique

1891, "atmosphere of mystery," from French mystique "a mystic; mystical," from Latin mysticus (see mystic (adj.)).