Mystification
/ˌmɪstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun
The act of confusing, puzzling, or bewildering someone.
Did you know?The word descends from Greek **mystēs**, an initiate into secret religious rites, so its deepest ancestry is tied to silence, initiation, and concealed truth.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
mystḗrion
“a secret rite or hidden religious mystery”
Late Greek
Greek
mystikós
“pertaining to secret rites or hidden religious knowledge”
Latin
Latin
mystificāre
“to initiate into mysteries; later, to puzzle or bewilder”
14th–17th Century
French
mystification
“the act of mystifying or making mysterious”
Modern English
English
mystification
“the act of confusing or puzzling someone”