mystère French · revision 17642

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1174–84, Gautier d'Arras, Ille et Galeron|origins=grc μύω}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mis.tɛʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mystère''' ''m'' (plural mystères)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|mistere]];^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''mystère'' from the 13th to 16th century.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|mystērium|t=secret rites; secret thing]], from [[grc|μυστήριον|tr=mustḗrion|t=secret rite, mystery]], derived from [[m|grc|μύστης|tr=mústēs|t=initiate]], itself from [[m|grc|μύω|tr=múō|t=to close (the lips or eyes)]]: the initiate kept his mouth shut about the ceremonies.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|6/3, 319b) The Greek word also gave [[myope]], and in Christian writers named the mysteries of the faith.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ In Medieval Latin the word took the sense “service, office” through confusion with [[m|la|ministerium]], the source of [[métier]], and the dramatic sense comes from this.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007) Littré rejected Max Müller's view that the mystery play has nothing to do with the Latin word, while admitting the confusion.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Gautier d'Arras's ''Ille et Galeron'' (1174–84) it means the deep nature or inherent virtue of something.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The first senses were religious: a secret of the Christian faith (about 1240), the sacrifice of the Mass, ''le saint mystère'' (13th century), and in 1452 (Arnoul Gréban) what is inexplicable to human reason.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In the 15th century it named a secret rite of ancient polytheism, a banquet with a staged scene (before 1453), and, from 1402 a religious drama, the ''mystère'' of the Passion.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ In the 17th century it came to mean any obscure or secret thing (Rotrou, 1643) and the care taken to hide something (Pascal, 1656–57); ''faire mystère de'' dates from 1551.^(TLFi) Recent uses include a type of jet aircraft (1965) and an ice-cream dessert (1970).^(TLFi) The adjective [[mystérieux]] dates from the 15th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1174–84 – ''Mistere'' in Gautier d'Arras.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1240 – A secret of the Christian faith.^(TLFi)

+ * 13th century – ''Le saint mystère'', the Mass.^(TLFi)

+ * 1402 – A religious drama.^(TLFi)

+ * 1452 – What reason cannot explain, in Gréban.^(TLFi)

+ * 1643 – Rotrou: any secret thing.^(TLFi)

+ * 1656–57 – Pascal: secrecy.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(antiquity)'' A secret cult open only to initiates: ''les mystères d'Éleusis''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(Christianity)'' A revealed [[m|en|dogma]] beyond reason: ''le mystère de la Trinité''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A [[m|en|mystery]], something hidden or inexplicable: ''les mystères de la nature''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Secrecy: ''faire mystère de quelque chose'', ''mystère et boule de gomme'', I'm not telling.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(history)'' A medieval religious drama, a [[m|en|mystery play]]: ''le mystère de la Passion''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # An ice-cream dessert coated in meringue and almonds.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mystérieux]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mystérieusement]]

+ * [[mystique]]

+ * [[métier]]

+ * [[grc|μυστήριον|tr=mustḗrion]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}