Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “mysticism” come from?

Mysticism is an English formation from mystic and the suffix -ism, ultimately deriving from Ancient Greek μύστης, one initiated into mysteries, from μυέω, to initiate into mysteries.

mysticism (English): The beliefs, ideas, or thoughts of mystics; A...

Definitions

  1. The beliefs, ideas, or thoughts of mystics; A...

Ancestry of “mysticism”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmysticOf, or relating to mystics, mysticism or occult...
2Old Frenchmistiquemysterious; mystical
3LatinmysticusOf or belonging to secret rites or mysteries;...
4Ancient Greekμυστικόςsecret, mystic
5Ancient Greekμύστηςone who has been initiated, initiate
6Ancient GreekμυέωI initiate
7Ancient Greek-έωUsed to form verbs from nouns, adjectives and...
8Proto-Indo-European-éyetiForms causative imperfective verbs from roots;...
9Proto-Indo-European-yetiCreates transitive imperfective verbs from roots

Words derived from “mysticism”

  • synchromysticism
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yeti →