mysticus

Forms

mysticus (feminine mystica, neuter mysticum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós, “connected with the mysteries”).^[2][3][1] The Greek adjective is formed from μύστης (mústēs, “initiate”),^[1][4] which Köbler connects with μυέω (muéō), to close the lips.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Virgil,^[5] who in the Georgics names the “mystica vannus Iacchi”, the winnowing fan of Bacchus, which had a secret meaning in his worship.^[6][7]

Semantic evolution

The poets used it of things belonging to secret rites:^[6] Tibullus of the vine sacred to Bacchus, Martial of the mystic rites of Dindymene, Statius of a torch.^[6][7] Ovid transferred it to secrecy in general, speaking of love affairs kept hidden.^[2] In the plural, mystica were the objects used in the rites,^[6][7] and Pliny the Elder records Mysticus as the title of a pantomime.^[7]

Christian writers gave it the meaning “mystical”: of hidden or symbolic meaning, to be understood figuratively.^[8][9] Niermeyer also gives “sacred”,^[8] and British writers speak of mystical baptism and of the mystical meaning of Scripture.^[9] In Ecclesiastical Latin it also served as a noun for a mystic.^[10] English took it over in the late 14th century as mystic, from Old French or directly from Latin.^[4]

Timeline

• 70–19 BC – Virgil speaks of the mystic winnowing fan of Bacchus.^[6][5]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of secret love affairs.^[2][5]
• 40–102/103 AD – Martial uses it of the rites of Dindymene.^[6][5]
• c. 390 AD – Ammianus Marcellinus speaks of a mystic word.^[7][5]
• 639–709 AD – Aldhelm writes of the mystical rite of baptism.^[9][5]
• late 14th century – English borrows it as mystic.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of, belonging to, or used in sacred mysteries or secret rites.^[2][6]
2. (transferred) Secret, hidden.^[2][9]
3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Mystical, symbolic, allegorical; sacred.^[8][10][9]

Noun

1. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A mystic.^[10]

Word family

• mystica
• mysticē

Related words

• English mystic

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
8. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b c d e Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
10. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson