Dictionary.com

abstruse

[ ab-stroos ]
/ æbˈstrus /
See synonyms for: abstruse / abstruseness on Thesaurus.com

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

OTHER WORDS FROM abstruse

ab·struse·ly, adverbab·struse·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH abstruse

abstruse , obtuse

Words nearby abstruse

abstract of title, abstract space, abstract thinking, abstrict, abstriction, abstruse, abstrusity, absurd, absurdism, absurdist, absurdity
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to abstruse

perplexing, esoteric, abstract, complex, complicated, deep, enigmatic, heavy, hidden, incomprehensible, intricate, involved, muddy, obscure, profound, puzzling, recondite, subtle, unfathomable, vague

Example sentences from the Web for abstruse

British Dictionary definitions for abstruse

abstruse
/ (əbˈstruːs) /

adjective

not easy to understand; recondite; esoteric

Derived forms of abstruse

abstrusely, adverbabstruseness, noun

Word 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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012