mystique
Americannoun
-
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.
noun
Etymology
Origin of mystique
1890–95; < French (adj.); see mystic
Explanation
An air of mystery around someone gives that person a certain mystique, like your glamorous next door neighbor who's rumored to work for the CIA. The noun mystique is good for describing someone you find fascinating, like your beautiful and mysterious French teacher with that special mystique. A place or an object can also be described this way; many travelers are attracted to India's mystique, for example. The root of mystique is thought to be the Greek word mystikos, "secret or mystic."
Vocabulary lists containing mystique
This Week in Words: Feb. 25 - Mar. 2, 2018
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2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
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English Words Derived from French, List 8
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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.
And then they were gone, leaving a sense of wonder and mystique in their wake that remains unparalleled in the annals of popular music — perhaps even for the whole of Western art.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
Valdez’s post presented a unique moment of decision for the reclusive artist: To reply risked abandoning a mystique he’d long cultivated, but ultimately the lure of a sanctioned Pinky reboot proved too tempting to refuse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Strip away the mystique and the Greenspan put merely resembles a sensible response to prevailing economic conditions, just as a simple rule designed to account for inflation and growth forecasts would predict.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
In doing so, he said, it traded away the mystique that, under Greenspan and his predecessor Paul Volcker, had conveyed its own kind of authority.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
It is a mystique closely approximating a religion.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
