esoteric

English

WOTD – 22 May 2009

Alternative forms

• esoterick (obsolete)

Etymology

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).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌiː.səˈtɛɹ.ɪk/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌɛs.əˈtɛɹ.ɪk/, /ˌɛs.oʊˈtɛɹ.ɪk/, enPR: ěsətěr'ĭk, ěsōtěr'ĭk

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

  • Audio (New Jersey)

    (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˌiː.səˈtɛɹ.ɪk/, /ˌɛs.əˈtɛɹ.ɪk/

  • Audio (AU)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛɹɪk

Adjective

esoteric (comparative more esoteric, superlative most esoteric)

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.

   The writing in this manual is very esoteric; I’d need a degree in engineering just to understand it!

   Synonyms: arcane, recondite, acroamatic

2. Having to do with concepts that are highly theoretical and without obvious practical application; often with mystical or religious connotations.
   • 1976, Saul Bellow, Humboldt's Gift, New York: Avon, →ISBN, page 278:

     When he spoke to me of esoteric mysteries I wanted to say to him,"Don't give me that spiritual hokum, friend!"

   Synonym: cerebral

3. Confidential; private.

   an esoteric purpose

   an esoteric meeting

   Synonym: secretive

Antonyms

• exoteric

Derived terms

• esoteric programming language

Related terms

• esoterica
• esoterically
• esotericism
• esotericist
• esoterism

 

Translations

understood only by a chosen few

• Afrikaans: geheimsinnig
• Armenian: please add this translation if you can
• Bulgarian: езотеричен (bg) (ezoteričen)
• Catalan: esotèric
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 深晦 (shēnhuì)

• Czech: esoterický (cs)
• Danish: esoterisk
• Dutch: esoterisch (nl)
• Estonian: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: esoteerinen (fi)
• French: ésotérique (fr)
• Friulian: esoteric
• German: esoterisch (de)
• Greek: εσωτερικός (el) (esoterikós)

  Ancient: ἐσωτερικός (esōterikós)

• Hungarian: ezoterikus (hu)
• Icelandic: heimullegur
• Italian: esoterico (it)
• Japanese: 秘儀の (ひぎの, higi no), 奥義の (おうぎの, ōgi no)
• Latvian: please add this translation if you can
• Lithuanian: ezoterinis
• Macedonian: езотеричен (ezoteričen)
• Norwegian: esoterisk (no)
• Occitan: please add this translation if you can
• Persian: خواص‌فهم‎ (xavâs-fahm), غامض‎ (fa) (ğâmez)
• Polish: ezoteryczny (pl) m, tajemny (pl) m
• Portuguese: esotérico (pt)
• Romanian: ezoteric (ro)
• Russian: эзотери́ческий (ru) (ezoteríčeskij)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: езотѐричан

  Roman: ezotèričan (sh)

• Spanish: esotérico (es)
• Swedish: esoterisk (sv)
• Turkish: ezoterik (tr), içrek (tr), bâtınî (tr) (archaic)

having to do with concepts that are highly theoretical

• Catalan: esotèric
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: akademický (cs)
• Dutch: cerebraal (nl), esoterisch (nl)
• Finnish: esoteerinen (fi)
• French: cérébral (fr)
• German: esoterisch (de)
• Greek: απόκρυφος (el) (apókryfos)
• Japanese: 深遠 (ja) (しんえん, shin'en)
• Macedonian: езотеричен (ezoteričen)
• Maori: puri
• Norwegian: esoterisk (no)
• Polish: zawiły (pl), niezrozumiały (pl)
• Portuguese: esotérico (pt)
• Russian: эзотери́ческий (ru) (ezoteríčeskij)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: езотѐричан

  Roman: ezotèričan (sh)

• Turkish: ezoterik (tr)

confidential; private

• Bulgarian: таен (bg) (taen), поверителен (bg) (poveritelen)
• Catalan: esotèric
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: tajný (cs)
• Dutch: exclusief (nl)
• Finnish: luottamuksellinen (fi), yksityinen (fi)
• German: geheim (de)
• Greek: εσωτερικός (el) (esoterikós), μυστικός (el) m (mystikós)
• Japanese: 秘密の (ひみつの, himitsu no)
• Polish: ezoteryczny (pl), tajny (pl), skryty (pl)
• Portuguese: confidencial, secreto (pt)
• Russian: эзотери́ческий (ru) (ezoteríčeskij), та́йный (ru) (tájnyj), скры́тый (ru) (skrýtyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: езотѐричан

  Roman: ezotèričan (sh)

• Turkish: gizli (tr), saklı (tr), ezoterik (tr)

Translations

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: ^{(please verify)} 神秘 (zh) (shénmì)

• Korean: ^{(please verify)} 비전 (bijeon)
• Latin: ^{(please verify)} esōtericus
• Portuguese: ^{(please verify)} esotérico (pt)
• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} esotérico (es)
• Ukrainian: ^{(please verify)} езотеричний (uk) (ezoteryčnyj)

Noun

esoteric (plural esoterics)

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

See also

• exoterism
• metaphysical
• occult
• paranormal
• supernatural
• theoretical

 

Anagrams

• coteries

Friulian

Adjective

esoteric

1. esoteric