ESOTERIC


Meaning of ESOTERIC in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˌe-sə-ˈter-ik, -ˈte-rik ]

adjective

Etymology: Late Latin esotericus, from Greek esōterikos, from esōterō, comparative of eisō, esō within, from eis into; akin to Greek en in — more at in

Date: circa 1660

1.

a. : designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone

a body of esoteric legal doctrine — B. N. Cardozo

b. : requiring or exhibiting knowledge that is restricted to a small group

esoteric terminology

esoteric strategies

broadly : difficult to understand

esoteric subjects

2.

a. : limited to a small circle

engaging in esoteric pursuits

b. : private , confidential

an esoteric purpose

3. : of special, rare, or unusual interest

esoteric building materials

• es·o·ter·i·cal·ly -i-k(ə-)lē adverb

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.