esoteric definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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Definitions (11)

American Heritage Dictionary (4)

adjective Intended for or understood by only a particular group: an esoteric cult. See Synonyms at mysterious.
adjective Of or relating to that which is known by a restricted number of people.
adjective Confined to a small group: esoteric interests.

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Century Dictionary (4)

Literally, inner: originally applied to certain writings of Aristotle of a scientific, as opposed to a popular, character, and afterward to the secret or acroamatic teachings of Pythagoras; hence, in general, secret; intended to be communicated only to the initiated; profound. There grew up, in the minds of some commentators, a supposition of exoteric doctrine as denoting what Aristotle promulgated to the public, contrasted with another secret or mystic doctrine reserved for a special few, and denoted by the term esoteric; though this term is not found in use before the days of Lucian. I believe the supposition of a double doctrine to be mistaken in regard to Aristotle; but it is true as to the Pythagoreans, and is not without some colour of truth even as to Plato. Grote. He [Josephus] fancied himself to have learned all, whilst in fact there were secret esoteric classes which he had not so much as suspected to exist. Dc Quincey, Secret Societies, ii. When there exist two distinct explanations, or statements, about the signification of an emblem, the true one esoteric, and known only to the few, the other exoteric, incorrect, and known to the many, it is clear that a time may come when the first may be lost, and the last alone remain. T. Inman, Symbolism, Int., p. viii. The religion of Egypt perished from being kept away from the people, as an esoteric system in the hands of priests. J. F. Clarke, Ten Great Religions, i. § 7.
In embryology, endoblastic. See the extract. [Rare.] An upper layer of cells differentiated from the lower, an esoteric as contrasted with an exoteric layer, the representatives of these being respectively the apicals and basals in the earliest stages of the Calcispongiæ, and in later stages the endoblast and ectoblast. Hyatt, Proc. Bost, Soc. Nat. Hist., 1884, p. 91.
An esoteric doctrine. [Rare.] As to what esoterics I have vented, such as the foundation of moral duties upon self-interest; the corporeity of mental organs; … these seemed necessary to compleat a regular system. A. Tucker, Light of Nature, V. ii. § 6.

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He seeks new trade agreements, and he has invited an Aenir captain to watch the Hunt. ' — The Hawk Eternal
She opened her eyes. — Blind Alley
We could use a night in a motel. — Time Trial
"I will not go unless I can have room service." — Time Trial
The decor was esoteric -- indeed, eccentric. — The Emoman

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arcane · abstruse · occult · mystical · metaphysical · theological · buddhist · tantric · biblical · elementary · alchemical · archaic

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

American Heritage Dictionary (1)

Greek esōterikos, from esōterō, comparative of esō, within; see en in Indo-European roots.

Century Dictionary (1)

from Greek ἐσωτερικός, inner; prob. first suggested by its opposite ἐξωτερικός (see exoteric); from ἐσω, within (see eso-), + -τερος, comparative suffix, + -ικός.

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