German word

rätselhaft

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʁɛːtsəlhaft/

Meaning

  • adjectivemysterious

Example

Ihr Lächeln war rätselhaft.

Her smile was mysterious.

Illustration for rätselhaft (mysterious)

More examples

Die Nachricht verbreitete sich auf rätselhafte Weise.

The message spread in a mysterious way.

Core concept

A smile, action, or event that gives too little information to show what lies behind it.

Common phrases

  • auf rätselhafte Weise

    in a mysterious way

  • ein rätselhaftes Ereignis

    a mysterious event

Similar words

geheimnisvoll: Suggesting a hidden secret or reason in an intriguing way.
mysteriös: Seeming strange and difficult to explain.
undurchschaubar: Making a person's thoughts or intentions hard to discern.
unerklärlich: Existing without a known cause or rational explanation.

Definition in German

von etwas, dessen Ursache oder Bedeutung sich schwer erschließt.

Word origin

Rätselhaft is formed from the noun Rätsel and the productive suffix -haft, so its historical structure links it with the quality of a riddle.

Usage tips

  • Rätselhaft does not by itself imply deliberate secrecy; it can describe an unintentionally puzzling expression, event, or situation.

Other meanings

  • puzzlingadjective
  • strangeadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • Rätselhaftigkeitmysteriousnessnoun

Word lists with this word