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arcane
[ ahr-keyn ]
/ ÉrËkeÉȘn /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
adjective
known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric: She knew a lot about Sanskrit grammar and other arcane matters.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
âWasâ is used for the indicative past tense of âto be,â and âwereâ is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Origin of arcane
1540â50; (<Middle French ) <Latin arcÄnus, equivalent to arc(Äre) to shut up, keep (derivative of arca a chest, box) + -Änus-an
Words nearby arcane
Arcadian, Arcadic, Arcado-Cyprian, Arcady, arcana, arcane, arcanist, arcanum, arcanum arcanorum, Arcaro, Arcas
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use arcane in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for arcane
arcane
/ (ÉËËkeÉȘn) /
adjective
requiring secret knowledge to be understood; mysterious; esoteric
Derived forms of arcane
arcanely, adverbarcaneness, nounWord Origin for arcane
C16: from Latin arcÄnus secret, hidden, from arcÄre to shut up, keep safe
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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