mysticism

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromμυστικός“secret, mystic”
2. Latin · derived frommysticus“mystical, mystic, of secret rites”
3. Old French · derived frommistique“mysterious, full of mystery”
4. English todaymysticism

From mystic + -ism, from Old French mistique (“mysterious, full of mystery”), from Latin mysticus (“mystical, mystic, of secret rites”), from Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós, “secret, mystic”), from μύστης (mústēs, “one who has been initiated, initiate”) from μῡ́ω (mū́ō, “to close one's lips or eyes; initiate into the mysteries”). Compare Asturian misticismu, Catalan misticisme, French mysticisme, German Mystizismus, Italian misticismo, Portuguese misticismo, Sicilian misticisimu, Spanish misticismo.

Words from the same roots