noun
Uncommon
Enigma
Enigma (noun) means a person or thing that is puzzling, mysterious, or hard to understand. Example: “His sudden disappearance remains an enigma to this day.”
noun
1
A person or thing that is puzzling, mysterious, or hard to understand.
"Tucked inconspicuously away behind the shoal of darkness that hung in those gloomy corners, the silhouetted enigma was ogling him in halcyon silence."
— Ramon Elmerito Gatchalian, A Supernatural Threat (2007)
"The 'Real' Borges is difficult to pin down; in a word, he is an enigma."
— Cynthia Lucy Stephens, The Borges Enigma: Mirrors (2021)
"The enigma that is central to homeopathic medicine has to do with the relationship between dilution and potency."
— Vinton McCabe, The Healing Enigma: Demystifying Homeopathy (2009)
"His sudden disappearance remains an enigma to this day."
"She was something of an enigma to her colleagues, friendly but never revealing much about herself."
How to use Enigma
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething or someone genuinely puzzling or mysterious.
Common pairings
remains an enigma
something of an enigma
wrapped in an enigma
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His sudden disappearance remains an _____ to this day.
Etymology
Comes from Latin aenigma (“riddle”), which itself derives from the Ancient Greek verbal noun αἴνιγμα (aínigma, “dark saying, speaking in riddles”).
Synonyms
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Rhymes for Enigma
See all rhymes for Enigma →Frequently asked questions
What does “Enigma” mean?
The word “Enigma” means a person or thing that is puzzling, mysterious, or hard to understand. In plain terms, something or someone genuinely puzzling or mysterious.
How do you use “Enigma” in a sentence?
Here is “Enigma” used in a sentence: “His sudden disappearance remains an enigma to this day.”
What part of speech is “Enigma”?
“Enigma” is a noun.
Is “Enigma” a common word?
“Enigma” is an uncommon word in modern English.
