esoteric

Adj

1. Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest, or an enlightened inner circle.
2. Having to do with concepts that are highly theoretical and without obvious practical application; often with mystical or religious connotations.
3. Confidential; private.

Noun

1. An esoteric doctrine or treatise; esoteric philosophy.
2. One who believes, or is an initiate, in esoteric doctrines or rites.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˌiː.səˈtɛɹ.ɪk/

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ἐσωτερικός (esōterikós, “belonging to an inner circle”), from ἐσωτέρω (esōtérō, “further inside”), comparative of ἔσω (ésō, “within”), from ἐς (es), εἰς (eis, “into”) (the term esoteric referred originally to the secret teachings of Greek philosophers, versus public or exoteric ones).

Synonyms

secret

㊙️

private

clandestine

occult

confidential

mysterious

surreptitious

exclusive

far reaching

furtive

hidden

hugger mugger

indoor

inland

inner

inside

interior

internal

intestine

intimate

intricate

intrinsic

inward

mystical

obscure

philosophical

privy

rarefied

recondite

stealthy

suppressible

undercover

underground

undisclosed

acroamatic

little-known

privy to

abstruse

secretly handed down

arcane

covert

cryptic

dark

dim

domestic

Translations

ésotérique

esoterico

esotérico

esoterisch

esotérico

εσωτερικός

esoterisch

ezoteryczny

esotèric

esoterici

esoteriche

esoterica

cérébral

obscur

gizli

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