abstruse
[ ab-stroos ]
/ æbˈstrus /
adjective
hard to understand; recondite; esoteric: abstruse theories.
Obsolete. secret; hidden.
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Origin of abstruse
1590–1600; < Latin abstrūsus thrust away, concealed (past participle of abstrūdere), equivalent to abs- abs- + trūd- thrust + -tus past participle suffix
SYNONYMS FOR abstruse
ANTONYMS FOR abstruse
Related forms
ab·struse·ly, adverbab·struse·ness, nounCan be confused
abstruse obtuseDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for abstruse
British Dictionary definitions for abstruse
abstruse
/ (əbˈstruːs) /
adjective
not easy to understand; recondite; esoteric
Derived Forms
abstrusely, adverbabstruseness, nounWord Origin for abstruse
C16: from Latin abstrūsus thrust away, concealed, from abs- ab- 1 + trūdere to thrust
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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