mysterious 的詞源

17世紀10年代，"充滿神祕，晦澀，未被揭示或解釋"，源自拉丁語 mysterium（參見 mystery（n.1））+ -ous。相關詞彙： Mysteriously; mysteriousness。同樣意義上的早期詞彙是 mysterial（15世紀早期），源自晚期拉丁語 mysterialis。

Mysterious is the most common word for that which is unknown and excites curiosity and perhaps awe; the word is sometimes used where mystic would be more precise. Mystic is especially used of that which has been designed to excite and baffle curiosity, involving meanings in signs, rites, etc., but not with sufficient plainness to be understood by any but the initiated. [Century Dictionary]

Mysterious 是指未知的事物，引起好奇和敬畏的最常見的詞彙； 有時候這個詞彙被用於 mystic 更加準確的地方。Mystic 尤其用於那些被設計來引起和困惑好奇心的事物，涉及符號、儀式等的意義，但不足以被任何人理解，除了那些受過啓蒙的人。[世紀詞典]

God moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm

[Cowper, from the "Olney Hymns," 1779]

上帝以神祕的方式行動，

以展示他的奇蹟；

他在海洋中留下腳印，

並駕馭風暴

[考珀，《奧爾尼讚美詩》，1779年]

相關詞彙： Mysteriously; mysteriousness。