means A person who seeks or claims direct, personal experience of the divine or ultimate reality, often through contemplation, ecstasy, or inner revelation rather than doctrine.

from From Greek 'mystikos,' meaning 'secret' or 'belonging to the mysteries' — itself from 'mystes,' an initiate into the ancient mystery cults, those sworn to secrecy. The root verb 'myein' meant 'to close the eyes or lips,' the gesture of one keeping silent about sacred things. It traveled through Latin 'mysticus' into English, so the word literally carries the hush of someone who has seen something they're not supposed to talk about.