Myst

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A concept referring to the deep, often inexplicable nature of reality and existence
2. A phenomenon that involves spiritual or supernatural elements, often evoking intrigue and wonder
3. The quality of being enigmatic or obscure, typically related to knowledge that is not fully understood

Etymology: The noun "myst" is a real but rare word, and its story runs through the same Greek root as "mystery" and "mystic." The Greek verb "myein" meant "to close the eyes or lips," and from it came "mustes," a person initiated into the secret rites of cults such as the Eleusinian Mysteries of ancient Greece. Those initiates were sworn to silence about what they witnessed, so the idea of something hidden from the uninitiated was built into the root from the start. English received the Greek-derived "mystery" through Latin "mysterium" and Old French "mistere" well before "myst" appeared as a standalone noun. The shorter form is a back-formation, a word created by trimming an existing one, in this case the sense of a secret or mystic thing that "mysticism" and "mystic" had already made familiar. Its meaning here, a phenomenon with spiritual or supernatural overtones, follows the same path from hidden rites to hidden truths.

Synonyms: mist, fog, haze, smoke, vapour

Antonyms: clarity, clearness, sunshine