esoteric

[es-uh-ter-ik]

adjective

1. understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest; recondite.

   poetry full of esoteric allusions.

   Synonyms: enigmatic, cryptic, arcane, abstruse

2. belonging to the select few.

3. private; secret; confidential.

4. (of a philosophical doctrine or the like) intended to be revealed only to the initiates of a group.

   the esoteric doctrines of Pythagoras.

5. Computers.,  (of programming or a programming language) designed to test or explore an unusual programming concept, regardless of its usefulness.

esoteric

/ ˌɛsəʊˈtɛrɪk /

adjective

1. restricted to or intended for an enlightened or initiated minority, esp because of abstruseness or obscurity Compare exoteric

   an esoteric cult

2. difficult to understand; abstruse

   an esoteric statement

3. not openly admitted; private

   esoteric aims

Other Word Forms

• esoterically adverb
• nonesoteric adjective
• nonesoterically adverb
• unesoteric adjective
• esotericism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of esoteric¹

First recorded in 1645–55; from Greek esōterikós “inner,” equivalent to esṓter(os) “inner” + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of esoteric¹

C17: from Greek esōterikos, from esōterō inner

Example Sentences

For wine drinkers with mysterious preferences, I suggest a bottle of Champagne—but not an overly famous or esoteric one.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Epstein and economics” — linking the concrete with the esoteric, the problem with the solution.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Others used the shutdown to dust off esoteric research projects.

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Most of them still had no idea that their champion stock picker had become so diverted by these esoteric insurance contracts called credit default swaps.

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He took a risk that an esoteric subject — congressional map-making — could be turned into a heartfelt issue.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abstruse 
• arcane 
• mystical 

When To Use

What does esoteric mean?

Esoteric most commonly means obscure and only understood or intended to be understood by a small number of people with special (and perhaps secret) knowledge.It’s often used to describe knowledge that’s only intended to be revealed to people who have been initiated into a certain group. The word is often associated with mysticism and the occult.Such knowledge can be collectively referred to as esoterica, which can also refer collectively to books and other works that contain such topics.Example: To the uninitiated, this kind of esoteric knowledge is impenetrably arcane.