different between mysterious vs occult

English

Etymology

From Middle French mystérieux.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -??ri?s
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /m??st???i.?s/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /m??st??i.?s/

Adjective

mysterious (comparative more mysterious, superlative most mysterious)

1. Of unknown origin.

   Synonym: untraceable

2. Having unknown qualities.

   Synonyms: esoteric, uncertain, undefined; see also Thesaurus:mysterious

   Hyponyms: anonymous, faceless, unexplored, unnamed, long-mysterious
3. Difficult to understand.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:incomprehensible

4. Deliberately evasive or enigmatic.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:covert

Derived terms

• mysteriously
• mysteriousness

Related terms

• mystery

Translations

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin occultus (“hidden, secret”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??k.?lt/, /??k?lt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??k?lt/
• Rhymes: -?lt

Verb

occult (third-person singular simple present occults, present participle occulting, simple past and past participle occulted)

1. (transitive, astronomy) To cover or hide from view.

   The Earth occults the Moon during a lunar eclipse.

2. (transitive, rare) To dissimulate, conceal, or obfuscate.

Translations

Adjective

occult (comparative more occult, superlative most occult)

2. (medicine) Secret; hidden from general knowledge; undetected.
3. Related to the occult; pertaining to mysticism, magic, or astrology.
4. Esoteric.

   • Elbows almost touching they leaned at ease, idly reading the almost obliterated lines engraved there. ¶ "I never understood it," she observed, lightly scornful. "What occult meaning has a sun-dial for the spooney? I'm sure I don't want to read riddles in a strange gentleman's optics."

Derived terms

• occult line

Translations

Noun

occult (uncountable)

1. (usually with "the") Supernatural affairs.

Translations

Related terms

• occultation
• occultive