mysterymystery

Mystery comes from Middle English mysterie, from Anglo-Norman misterie, from Latin mysterium, from Ancient Greek μυστήριον ‘secret rite’.

1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμύω¹‘to shut’
2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμυέω¹‘to initiate’
3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμύστης¹‘initiated one’
4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμυστήριον¹‘a secret, a secret rite’
5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmysterium¹
6. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400misterie¹
7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mysterie¹‘religious mystery’
8. Englishearliest quotation 1567mystery¹

1. ¹ Wiktionary, English mystery
2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1567, Matteo Bandello, Certain Tragical Discourses of Bandello: “[…] and, not knowing the meaning or misterie of…”.