recondite

[ rek-uhn-dahyt, ri-kon-dahyt ]

adjective

1. dealing with very profound, difficult, or abstruse subject matter:

   a recondite treatise.

2. beyond ordinary knowledge or understanding; esoteric:

   recondite principles.

   Synonyms: deep

   Antonyms: exoteric

3. little known; obscure:

   a recondite fact.

   Synonyms: secret, occult, mysterious

   Antonyms: well-known

recondite

/ rɪˈkɒndaɪt; ˈrɛkənˌdaɪt /

adjective

1. requiring special knowledge to be understood; abstruse
2. dealing with abstruse or profound subjects

Derived Forms

• reˈconditeness, noun
• reˈconditely, adverb

Other Words From

• recon·ditely adverb
• recon·diteness noun
• un·recon·dite adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of recondite¹

1640–50; earlier recondit < Latin reconditus recondite, hidden (originally past participle of recondere to hide), equivalent to re- re- + cond ( ere ) to bring together ( con- con- + -dere to put) + -itus -ite ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of recondite¹

C17: from Latin reconditus hidden away, from re- + condere to conceal