enigma: [16] Enigma comes, via Latin, from Greek aínigma ‘riddle, obscure statement’. This was a derivative of the verb ainíssesthai ‘talk in riddles’, which in turn came from the noun ainos ‘tale, story’. Its modern English use for ‘something puzzling’ dates from the early 17th century.
enigma (n.)
1530s, "statement which conceals a hidden meaning or known thing under obscure words or forms," earlier enigmate (mid-15c.), from Latin aenigma "riddle," from Greek ainigma (plural ainigmata) "a dark saying, riddle," from ainissesthai "speak obscurely, speak in riddles," from ainos "tale, story; saying, proverb;" according to Liddell & Scott, a poetic and Ionic word, of unknown origin. General sense in English of "anything inexplicable to an observer" is from c. 1600.
实用例句
1. Iran remains an enigma for the outside world.
对于外界而言，伊朗仍是个谜。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.
俄罗斯是被包藏在一个闷葫芦里面的神秘物体之中的谜.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. It is an enigma to me.
它对我来说是个迷.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. To German intelligence, Major de Coverley was a vexatious enigma.
