German word

geheimnisvoll

Pronunciation

IPA/gəˈhaɪ̯mnɪsˌfɔl/

Meaning

  • adjectivemysterious

Example

Das ist eine geheimnisvolle Geschichte.

That is a mysterious story.

Illustration for geheimnisvoll (mysterious)

More examples

Die Ermittler entdeckten geheimnisvolle Hinweise.

The investigators discovered mysterious clues.

Core concept

A fog-shrouded figure or scene conceals its details and invites curiosity without revealing a clear explanation.

Common phrases

  • geheimnisvoller Blick

    mysterious glance

  • geheimnisvolle Hinweise

    mysterious clues

  • geheimnisvolle Gestalt

    mysterious figure

Similar words

mysteriös: Appearing strange because no clear cause or reason can be found.
rätselhaft: Full of unanswered puzzles that make events difficult to understand.
unheimlich: Having a creepy quality that arouses fear or anxiety.
geheim: Concealed from public knowledge and not openly disclosed.

Definition in German

Bezeichnet eine Person, Sache oder Stimmung, die nicht alles offenbart und dadurch schwer zu durchschauen ist.

Word origin

The adjective geheimnisvoll is a compound of the noun Geheimnis and the adjective voll, so its formation connects mystery with the idea of being full of it.

Usage tips

  • The adjective takes endings before nouns: ein geheimnisvoller Ort, eine geheimnisvolle Geschichte, and ein geheimnisvolles Zeichen.

Other meanings

  • mysticaladjective

Opposites

Related words

  • Geheimnissecretnoun
  • Geheimnistuereisecretivenessnoun

Word lists with this word