mystery, problem, enigma, riddle, puzzle mean something which baffles or perplexes. mystery applies to what cannot be fully understood by reason or less strictly to whatever resists or …

Mystery definition: anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown.. See examples of MYSTERY used in a sentence.

MYSTERY definition: 1. something strange or not known that has not yet been explained or understood: 2. a book, film…. Learn more.

Jul 17, 2025 · Mystery novels are often called “whodunnits” because they turn the reader into a detective trying to figure out the who, what, when, and how of a particular crime.

Mystery fiction can be detective stories in which the emphasis is on the puzzle or suspense element and its logical solution such as a whodunit. Mystery fiction can be contrasted with …

Definition of mystery noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

If you talk about the mystery of someone or something, you are talking about how difficult they are to understand or know about, especially when this gives them a rather strange or magical quality.

mystery noun Anything that arouses curiosity or perplexes because it is unexplained, inexplicable, or secret:

Aug 18, 2024 · You’ll know a whodunit when you read it. Typically, mystery books begin with a crime, offer several suspects and scenarios throughout the story and culminate in a surprise …

There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun mystery, three of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.