enigma English · revision 2250

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɪˈnɪɡmə/, /əˈnɪɡmə/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|aenigma|t=riddle]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|αἴνιγμα|tr=aínigma|t=a dark saying, riddle]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''ainíssesthai'' “to speak in riddles”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''aînos'' “tale, fable, proverb”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline) a word of unknown origin.^(Etymonline) The spelling with ''e-'' was influenced by Middle French ''énigme''.^(Barnhart 1995) An anglicized form ''enigmate'' occurs earlier (before 1449).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An obscure or allusive speech; a parable (1539).^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) Etymonline dates the word to the 1530s and Barnhart to 1588.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word first named a riddle: a statement or composition that hides its meaning under obscure metaphors.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) By about 1600 it was used of anything as puzzling as a riddle,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and later of a mysterious or inscrutable person.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) With a capital it names the German cipher machine of the Second World War.^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a1449 – ''enigmate''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1539 – an obscure speech; a parable.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * c1605 – something puzzling; an unsolved problem.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1628 – ''enigmatic''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something puzzling, ambiguous or inexplicable.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person of puzzling or contradictory character.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A riddle; an obscure or perplexing speech or writing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[enigmatic]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[puzzle]]

+ * [[riddle]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}