LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

mystērium

mystērium n (genitive mystēriī or mystērī)

Meaning

  1. mystery (secret rite or worship)
  2. secret
    Vexilla regis prodeunt Fulget crucis mysterium Quo carne carnis conditor,The Banners of the King issue forth, the mystery of the Cross does gleam, where the Creator of flesh, in the flesh, from the cross-bar is hung.6th century, Venantius Fortunatus, Vexilla regis, first stanza

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Arcana · Secreta · Mysteria

Arcana denotes secrets, in a good sense, such as are so of themselves, and from their own nature, and should be spoken of with awe; thus arcana, as a popular term, denotes secrets of all sorts; on the other hand, mysteria, as a learned term, denotes religious secrets, like the Eleusinian mysteries; lastly, secreta denotes secrets, in the most ordinary sense, such as are made so by men, and which seek concealment from some particular fear. Tac. Ann. i. 6. Sallustius Crispus particeps secretorum . . . monuit Liviam, ne arcana domus vulgarentur. (iv. 429.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativemystēriummystēria
genitivemystēriī
mystērī		mystēriōrum
dativemystēriōmystēriīs
accusativemystēriummystēria
ablativemystēriōmystēriīs
vocativemystēriummystēria

mystērĭum, ii, n., = μυστήριον,
I. a secret service, secret rites, secret worship of a deity, divine mystery (class.; cf. arcanum).
I. Lit., of the mysteries of Ceres, otherwise called sacra Eleusinia, Cic. N. D. 2, 24, 62; id. Leg. 2, 14, 35: mysteria Attica, Tert. Apol. 39: mysteria Cereris initiorum enuntiare, Just. 5, 1, 1: mysteria facere, to celebrate the sacred mysteries, Nep. Alcib. 3, 6.—Also, the festival on which these mysteries were celebrated: in quem diem Romana incidant mysteria, the festival of the goddess Bona Dea, Cic. Att. 6, 1, 26; 5, 21, 14 sq.—
II. Transf., in gen., a secret thing, secret, mystery: rhetorum mysteria, Cic. Tusc. 4, 25, 55; id. de Or. 1, 47, 206: epistolae nostrae tantum habent mysteriorum, id. Att. 4, 18, 1: accipe congestas, mysteria frivolas nugas, Aus. Ep. 4, 67.—
III. (Eccl. Lat.)
A. Something transcending mere human intelligence: mysterium evangelii, Vulg. Eph. 6, 19: mysterium sicut evangelizaverat per prophetas, id. Apoc. 10, 7: mysteria regni caelorum, id. Matt. 13, 11.—
2. Of Antichrist, Vulg. Apoc. 17, 5: mysterium iniquitatis, id. 2 Thess. 2, 7. —
B. The Lord's supper: mysterium celebrat, Ambros. in 1 Cor. 11, 27.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mewH-
  2. Latinmystērium

Proto-Indo-European *mewH-ye-der. Ancient Greek μῡ́ω (mū́ō) Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *-eyéti Proto-Indo-European *-esyéti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Ancient Greek -έω (-éō) Ancient Greek μῠέω (mŭéō) Proto-Indo-European *-tósder. Ancient Greek -της (-tēs) Ancient Greek μῠ́στης (mŭ́stēs) Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Ancient Greek -ῐος (-ĭos)? Ancient Greek -ῐον (-ĭon) Ancient Greek μῠστήρῐον (mŭstḗrĭon)bor. Latin mystērium Borrowed from Ancient Greek μῠστήρῐον (mŭstḗrĭon).

Descendants
  • Englishmysteryfrom Old French mistere
  • Frenchmystèrefrom Old French mistere
  • GermanMysterium
  • Spanishmisterio
  • Scotsmeesteryfrom Old French mistere
  • Finnishmysteeri
  • Finnishmysteerio

In English words that came into English from mystērium

  • mysterymystērium
  • mysteriousmystērium
  • mistermisterium

Quick answers

What does mystērium mean in Latin?
mystērium, a noun, means “mystery (secret rite or worship); secret”.
What is the genitive of mystērium?
The genitive singular is mystēriī. mystērium is neuter, second declension.
Where does mystērium come from?
Proto-Indo-European *mewH- → Latin mystērium.
Which English words come from mystērium?
English words that go back to Latin mystērium include mystery, mysterious and mister.