ENIGMATIC Definition & Meaning

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enigmatic

Also ��Ծ��·��پ�·��.

[en-ig-mat-ik, ee-nig-]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

resembling an enigma, or a puzzling occurrence, situation, statement, person, etc.; perplexing; mysterious.
She has a perpetually enigmatic expression on her face.
This is the most enigmatic book I have ever read!
Synonyms: , ,

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

enigmatically adverb
nonenigmatic adjective
nonenigmatical adjective
nonenigmatically adverb
unenigmatic adjective
unenigmatical adjective
unenigmatically adverb

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of enigmatic¹

First recorded in 1620–30; from Late Latin aenigmaticus, from Greek ��Ծ��پ��ó��, equivalent to ainigmat- (stem of ��í�Ծ�� “riddle, taunt”) + -ikos adjective suffix; enigma, -ic

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Synonym Study

See ambiguous.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“He’s an enigmatic man of mystery who tries to do his work with the minimum amount of attention,” says cinematographer Christopher Ross, who lensed the first three episodes with director Brian Kirk.

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Chang: Lawrence, from the very beginning, was this very enigmatic figure.

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“Pavements” is essential nonsense, preserving the band’s enigmatic allure through the same mix of irony and misdirection.

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Known as the Czech Sphinx for his enigmatic style, Mr Kretinsky, who is 49, is worth £6bn according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

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Sleep isn’t much help thanks to enigmatic body-horror nightmares evoking the circumstances surrounding her husband’s death.

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Related 51�Թ�s

ambiguous��
cryptic��
obscure��

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When To Use

What does��enigmatic mean?

The adjective enigmatic can be used to describe someone or something that’s puzzling or mysterious.Enigmatic means resembling an enigma—someone or something that’s puzzling, mysterious, or difficult to make sense of. The word enigma can also mean a riddle, but it’s more often used to refer to something that’s so perplexing that it seems like a riddle (and perhaps was intended to seem like one), as in That book is completely enigmatic—I have no idea what it’s really about. If you call a person enigmatic, you mean that they’re hard to figure out—the reasons behind what they say and do are not easily understood. Some people try to be enigmatic to be mysterious.Example: I’ve known him for years, but he’s completely enigmatic—I have no idea what his interests are or what he’s really like.

enigma enigmatize

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