Log in or Sign up
  1. esoteric love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. adj. Intended for or understood by only a particular group: an esoteric cult. See Synonyms at mysterious.
  2. adj. Of or relating to that which is known by a restricted number of people.
  3. adj. Confined to a small group: esoteric interests.
  4. adj. Not publicly disclosed; confidential.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. 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.
  2. In embryology, endoblastic. See the extract.
  3. n. An esoteric doctrine.
  4. n. A believer in esoteric doctrines.

Wiktionary

  1. adj. Understood only by a chosen few or an enlightened inner circle.
  2. adj. Having to do with concepts that are highly theoretical and without obvious practical application; often with mystical or religious connotations.
  3. adj. Confidential; private.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. adj. Designed for, and understood by, the specially initiated alone; not communicated, or not intelligible, to the general body of followers; private; interior; acroamatic; -- said of discussions of technical topics and of the private and more recondite instructions and doctrines of philosophers. Opposed to exoteric.
  2. adj. Marked by secrecy or privacy; private; select; confidential.
  3. n. An esoteric doctrine or treatise; esoteric philosophy; esoterics.
  4. n. One who believes, or is an initiate, in esoteric doctrines or rites.

WordNet 3.0

  1. adj. confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle

Etymologies

  1. From Ancient Greek ἐσωτερικός (esōterikos, "belonging to an inner circle"), from ἐσωτέρω (esōterō, "further inside"), comparative of ἔσω (esō, "within"), from ἐς (es), εἰς (eis, "into") (esoteric originally referred to the secret teachings of Greek philosophers, versus public or exoteric ones). (Wiktionary)
  2. Greek esōterikos, from esōterō, comparative of esō, within; see en in Indo-European roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

Show 10 more examples...

Lists

These user-created lists contain the word ‘esoteric’.

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • pradyumnaojha Machine Learning is an estoric subject. Feb 17, 2013

  • fbharjo inner circle Aug 7, 2012

  • Winly Mallard Intended for a certain group. Otherwise confidential hmm.
    And I don't like acrynyms(sp?) LOL Mar 17, 2011

  • Xina54 –adjective
    1. Intended for or understood by only a particular group: an esoteric cult. See Synonyms at mysterious.
    2. Of or relating to that which is known by a restricted number of people.
    3. Confined to a small group: esoteric interests.
    4. Not publicly disclosed; confidential.

    Mar 12, 2011

  • myrtletheturtle The beauty of this word is that it has an almost onomatopoeic quality in that it is what it describes. Aug 21, 2008

  • crunchysaviour Christopher Lee Words are words that pertain to Christopher Lee and the films of Christopher Lee, or could have or have been used by Christopher Lee in said films, and when pronounced by Christopher Lee, sound especially good.

    "Esoteric" is a Christopher Lee Word. Aug 19, 2008

  • mollusque Esoteric is like gefilte fish to the Dalai Lama.
    --Rodger Kamenetz, 1994, The Jew in the Lotus May 28, 2008

Tweets

Looking for tweets for esoteric.

‘esoteric’ has been looked up 14367 times, loved by 55 people, added to 323 lists, commented on 8 times, and has a Scrabble score of 10.