Definition of ENIGMA (original) (raw)
1
: something hard to understand or explain
Did you know?
Enigma comes from a Greek word that means "to speak in riddles." It applies to things, as well as to people, that puzzle one's mind. Egypt's ancient pyramids and quantum mechanics, for example, might be described as enigmas, as well as physicist Stephen Hawking. In these uses, the word's meaning is a figurative extension of the original "riddle" sense.
Did you know?
A person who is described as an enigma is a bit of a mystery. You never know what that person is really thinking, or what his or her motives for doing something are. An enigma is not easily understood especially because he or she has a confusing mixture of qualities that seem to be in opposition to one another—for example, the attention-seeking but reclusive musician, or the brilliant lawyer who gets lost on the drive home from the grocery store.
The word enigma originally referred not to people but to words, and specifically to words that formed a riddle or complicated metaphor that tested the listener's or reader's alertness and cleverness. This meaning is clearly connected to the word's history. Enigma comes from a Greek word that means "to speak in riddles."
The word enigma didn't jump from referring to riddles to referring to people. In between those uses, it was (and still is) applied to things that puzzle people. Egypt's meticulously constructed Pyramids of Giza or a theory of quantum physics, for example, might be described as enigmas. In these uses, the meaning is simply a figurative extension of the original "riddle" sense.
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for enigma
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 defies explanation.
the mystery of the stone monoliths
problem applies to a question or difficulty calling for a solution or causing concern.
problems created by high technology
enigma applies to utterance or behavior that is very difficult to interpret.
his suicide remains an enigma
riddle suggests an enigma or problem involving paradox or apparent contradiction.
the riddle of the reclusive pop star
puzzle applies to an enigma or problem that challenges ingenuity for its solution.
the thief's motives were a puzzle for the police
Examples of enigma in a Sentence
Despite the enigma of the singularity, the big bang theory is unquestionably one of the most successful ideas in the history of science. —
Tom Yulsman, Astronomy, September 1999 Many scholars call it the ultimate enigma of the Nazi era, indeed perhaps of modern history: How did the Holocaust happen? And why in Germany? —Ralph Blumenthal, New York Times, 10 Jan. 1998 Indeed, the bond that in every individual connects the physiological life and the psychic life—or better the relation existing between the contingence of an individual and the free spirit that assumes it—is the deepest enigma implied in the condition of being human, and this enigma is presented in its most disturbing form in woman. —Simone de Beauvoir, translated and edited by H. M. Parshley, The Second Sex, 1953
To his friends, he was always something of an enigma. one of the great enigmas of our time
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There is little room there for nuance, and nuance is needed to solve enigmas. —Ky Henderson, Rolling Stone, 17 Dec. 2024 This event has everything: insane European names, mean-girl allegations, and, through it all, beautiful enigma Apple Martin enjoying her rich, wealthy life. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2024 The composer’s later works, rife with ironies, ambiguities, and enigmas, disturbed the image of a Soviet true believer. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024 Aside from head coach Kenny Dillingham's supernatural vitality and passion, the rest of team was a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, to borrow from Winston Churchill. —Matthew Self, The Arizona Republic, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for enigma 
Word History
Etymology
Latin aenigma, from Greek ainigmat-, ainigma, from ainissesthai to speak in riddles, from ainos fable
First Known Use
1539, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Time Traveler
The first known use of enigma was in 1539
Dictionary Entries Near enigma
Cite this Entry
“Enigma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enigma. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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Last Updated: 26 Dec 2024 - Updated example sentences
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