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.
例文
1. Iran remains an enigma for the outside world.
外部にとってイランは謎のままだ。
2.Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma .
ロシアはクネクネの中に隠された謎の物体である。
3.It is an enigma to me.
それは私にとって謎です。
4.To German intelligence，Major de Coverley was a vexatious enigma .