mystic

/ˈmɪstɪk/

//ˈmɪstɪk// adj

"mystic" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“mystic” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,023 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#13,023
frequency rank, English
6
letters
10
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of, or relating to mystics, mysticism or occult mysteries; mystical.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

mystic vs mythic
67% similar
mystic vs mystics
86% similar
mystic vs mystical
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for mystic
PropertyValue
Headwordmystic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈmɪstɪk/
Letters6
Frequency rank#13,023
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mystic” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). mystic lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for mystic is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmɪstɪk/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,023 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for mystic, with forms such as "mmystic", "msytic", and "mysitc". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "mythic", "mystics", "mystical", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French mistique, from Latin mysticus, from Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós, “secret, mystic”), from μύστης (mústēs, “one who has been initiated”). Doublet of mystique. The correct English form is mystic, spelled M-Y-S-T-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of, or relating to mystics, mysticism or occult mysteries; mystical.
  2. 2
    Mysterious and strange; arcane, obscure or enigmatic.

Etymology

From Old French mistique, from Latin mysticus, from Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós, “secret, mystic”), from μύστης (mústēs, “one who has been initiated”). Doublet of mystique.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mmystic,msytic,mysitc,mysstic,mystci,mysticc,mysttic,mytsic,myystic,ymstic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of mystic - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

mmystic1msytic2mysitc2mysstic1mystci2mysticc1mysttic1mytsic2
Edit distance from "mystic"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "mystic"?
"mystic" is spelled M-Y-S-T-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmɪstɪk/.
What does "mystic" mean?
As an adjective, "mystic" means: Of, or relating to mystics, mysticism or occult mysteries; mystical.
What words are commonly confused with "mystic"?
"mystic" is commonly confused with "mythic", "mystics", "mystical". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mystic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mystic" is /ˈmɪstɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "mystic"?
From Old French mistique, from Latin mysticus, from Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós, “secret, mystic”), from μύστης (mústēs, “one who has been initiated”). Doublet of mystique. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “mystic”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-Y-S-T-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmɪstɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “mythic” - see the side-by-side comparison. mystic vs mythic
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list