Join free

mysticism

English · Thesaurus

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

mysticism

  • /ˈmɪs.tɪˌsɪz.əm/ Australia, Canada, US
  • /ˈməs.təˌsəz.əm/ New Zealand

Where it comes from

From mystic + -ism, from Old French mistique (“mysterious, full of mystery”), from Latin mysticus (“mystical, mystic, of secret rites”), from Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós, “secret, mystic”), from μύστης (mústēs, “one who has been initiated, initiate”) from μῡ́ω (mū́ō, “to close one's lips or eyes; initiate into the mysteries”). Compare Asturian misticismu, Catalan misticisme, French mysticisme, German Mystizismus, Italian misticismo, Portuguese misticismo, Sicilian misticisimu, Spanish misticismo.

noun mysticisms

  1. countable, uncountable The beliefs, ideas, or thoughts of mystics.
  2. countable, uncountable A doctrine of direct communication or spiritual intuition of divine truth. In the history of Christian mysticism the problem how to discriminate between such messages and experiences as were really divine miracles, and such others as the demon in his malice was able to counterfeit, thus making the religious person twofold more the child of hell he was before, has always be
  3. countable, uncountable A transcendental union of soul or mind with the divine reality or divinity.
  4. countable, uncountable Obscure thoughts and speculations.

Opposite: rationalism

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: religious mysticism, mystique, occultism, theosophy, gnosticism, transcendentalism, spirituality, esotericism, asceticism, cabalism, neoplatonism, hermeticism, spiritualism, illumination, revelation, contemplation

noun

Opposite: rationalism

Translations

Every language

noun beliefs and ideas of mystics

Españolmisticismo
日本語神秘主義 shinpishugi
中文神秘主義 /神秘主义 shénmìzhǔyì
Portuguêsmisticismo
Françaismysticisme
DeutschMystik, Mystizismus
Italianomisticismo
Ελληνικάμυστικισμός mystikismós
Русскиймистици́зм misticízm
עבריתמִיסְטִיקָה místika

noun doctrine of direct communication of divine truth

Españolmisticismo
中文神秘主義 /神秘主义 shénmìzhǔyì
Portuguêsmisticismo
DeutschMystik, Mystizismus
Italianomisticismo
Ελληνικάμυστικισμός mystikismós
Русскиймистици́зм misticízm

noun transcendental union of soul with the divinity

中文神秘主義 /神秘主义 shénmìzhǔyì
Portuguêsmisticismo
DeutschMystik, Mystizismus
Italianomisticismo
Русскиймистици́зм misticízm

noun obscure thoughts and speculations

中文神秘主義 /神秘主义 shénmìzhǔyì
Portuguêsmisticismo
DeutschMystizismus
Ελληνικάμυστικοπάθεια mystikopátheia
Русскиймистици́зм misticízm

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"mysticism." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/mysticism. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

mysticism. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/mysticism

Chicago

"mysticism." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/mysticism.

BibTeX
@misc{mysticism_2026,
  title = {mysticism},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/mysticism},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}