esoteric

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk/ UK /ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
understood by or intended for only a small specialized group

The lecture drifted into esoteric points of medieval logic.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · understood by or intended... arcane abstruse recondite obscure cryptic occult secret

Opposites

exoteric accessible common public mainstream

Word family

Forms esoterically

Derived forms esotericallyesotericismesoterica

Related forms exoteric

Etymology

From Ancient Greek esōterikos 'belonging to an inner circle', from esōterō 'more within', comparative of esō 'within', from eis 'into'.

esōterikos Ancient Greek esō Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# esoteric

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk
**IPA (UK):** ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk

## Meanings
1. understood by or intended for only a small specialized group

## Examples
- The lecture drifted into esoteric points of medieval logic.

## Synonyms
- arcane
- abstruse
- recondite
- obscure
- cryptic
- occult
- secret

## Antonyms
- exoteric
- accessible
- common
- public
- mainstream

## Derived Forms
- esoterically
- esotericism
- esoterica

## Related Forms
- exoteric

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: esōterikos
- Root: esō

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek esōterikos 'belonging to an inner circle', from esōterō 'more within', comparative of esō 'within', from eis 'into'.

## AI Etymology
Esoteric comes from Ancient Greek esōterikos 'belonging to an inner circle', from esōterō 'more within', comparative of esō 'within', from eis 'into'. The historical trail runs through Ancient Greek esōterikos and Ancient Greek esō. In modern use it means understood by or intended for only a small specialized group. Derived formations include esoterically, esotericism, esoterica; related forms include exoteric.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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