Definition of ENIGMA

enigma

Plural: enigmas, enigmata

Noun

  • A person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.
  • something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
  • a difficult problem
  • Something or someone puzzling, mysterious or inexplicable.
  • A riddle, or a difficult problem.
  • Riddles and puzzles, collectively.
  • Mysteriousness; obscurity; a lack of clarity.
  • A style of literature characterized by obscurity and hints of transcendental meaning.
  • Alternative letter-case form of Enigma.
  • A protein with three LIM domains (a conserved cysteine- and histidine-rich structure of two adjacent zinc fingers) at the C terminus that regulates protein phosphorylation.
  • The Talaud kingfisher, Todiramphus enigma.
  • Any of species of Oedaleonotus enigma of grasshoppers.
  • Any of species of Heliothis enigma of rare moths.

Examples

  • His opponent’s silent, unreadable face was an ENIGMA, revealing nothing of their strategy.

Origin / Etymology

From Latin aenigma (“riddle”), being derived itself from the Ancient Greek verbal noun αἴνιγμα (aínigma, “dark saying, speaking in riddles”).

Synonyms

brain-teaser, closed book, conundrum, mystery, riddle, secret

Scrabble Score: 9

enigma: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
enigma: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
enigma: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

enigma: valid Words With Friends Word