esoteric

English

WOTD – 22 May 2009

Alternative forms

• esoterick (obsolete)

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ἐσωτερικός (esōterikós, “belonging to an inner circle”), from ἐσωτέρω (esōtérō, “further inside”), comparative of ἔσω (ésō, “within”), from ἐς (es), εἰς (eis, “into”) (the term esoteric referred originally to the secret teachings of Greek philosophers, versus public or exoteric ones).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌiː.səʊˈtɛɹ.ɪk/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌɛs.əˈtɛɹ.ɪk/, /ˌɛs.oʊˈtɛɹ.ɪk/, enPR: ěsətěr'ĭk, ěsōtěr'ĭk

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

  • Audio (New Jersey):

    (file)

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ˌɛs.oʊˈtɛɹ.ɪk/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˌiː.səˈteɹ.ɪk/, /ˌes.əˈteɹ.ɪk/

  • Audio (Queensland):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛɹɪk

Adjective

esoteric (comparative more esoteric, superlative most esoteric)

1. Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest, or an enlightened inner circle.

   Synonyms: arcane, recondite, acroamatic

   Antonym: exoteric

   The writing in this manual is very esoteric; I’d need a degree in engineering just to understand it!

   • 1975, Lucy S. Dawidowicz, The War Against the Jews 1933-1945:

     In this situation Hitler availed himself of a time-honored device-the use of esoteric language. In all periods of history, when government or society has put limits on public discussion, those who wish to circumvent censorship resort to the use of esoteric language. Exoterically understood, the text is unexceptionable, but to the insiders who know how to interpret the words, the message is revolutionary and dangerous to the status quo.

2. Having to do with concepts that are highly theoretical and without obvious practical application; often with mystical or religious connotations.

   Synonym: cerebral

   • 1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 278:

     When he spoke to me of esoteric mysteries I wanted to say to him,"Don't give me that spiritual hokum, friend!"

3. Confidential; private.

   Synonym: secretive

   an esoteric purpose

   an esoteric meeting

Antonyms

• exoteric

Derived terms

• esoteric programming language
• nonesoteric
• unesoteric

Related terms

• esoterica
• esoterically
• esotericism
• esotericist
• esoterism
• exoteric
• exotericism
• exoterism

Translations

understood only by a chosen few — see also obscure,‎ arcane,‎ abstruse

• Afrikaans: geheimsinnig
• Armenian: please add this translation if you can
• Bulgarian: езотеричен (bg) (ezoteričen), вътрешен (bg) (vǎ́trešen), за посветени pl (za posveteni, literally “for insiders”)
• Catalan: esotèric
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 秘傳的 / 秘传的 (mìchuán de)

• Czech: esoterický (cs)
• Danish: esoterisk
• Dutch: esoterisch (nl)
• Estonian: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: esoteerinen (fi)
• French: ésotérique (fr)
• Friulian: esoteric
• German: esoterisch (de)
• Greek: εσωτερικός (el) (esoterikós)

  Ancient Greek: ἐσωτερικός (esōterikós)

• Hungarian: ezoterikus (hu)
• Icelandic: heimullegur
• Italian: esoterico (it)
• Japanese: 秘儀の (ひぎの, higi no), 奥義の (おうぎの, ōgi no)
• Latvian: please add this translation if you can
• Lithuanian: ezoterinis
• Macedonian: езотеричен (ezoteričen)
• Norwegian: esoterisk (no)
• Occitan: esoteric (oc)
• Persian: خواص‌فهم (xavâs-fahm), غامض (fa) (ġâmez)
• Polish: ezoteryczny (pl), tajemny (pl)
• Portuguese: esotérico (pt)
• Romanian: ezoteric (ro)
• Russian: эзотери́ческий (ru) (ezoteríčeskij)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: езотѐричан

  Latin: ezotèričan (sh)

• Spanish: esotérico (es)
• Swedish: esoterisk (sv)
• Turkish: ezoterik (tr), içrek (tr), bâtıni (archaic)

having to do with concepts that are highly theoretical

• Catalan: esotèric
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 深晦的 (shēnhuì de), 深奧的 / 深奥的 (shēn'ào de)， 玄妙的 (xuánmiào de)

• Czech: akademický (cs)
• Dutch: cerebraal (nl), esoterisch (nl)
• Finnish: esoteerinen (fi)
• French: cérébral (fr)
• German: esoterisch (de)
• Greek: απόκρυφος (el) (apókryfos)
• Japanese: 深遠な (しんえんな, shin'en na)
• Macedonian: езотеричен (ezoteričen)
• Māori: puri
• Norwegian: esoterisk (no)
• Polish: zawiły (pl), niezrozumiały (pl)
• Portuguese: esotérico (pt)
• Russian: эзотери́ческий (ru) (ezoteríčeskij)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: езотѐричан

  Latin: ezotèričan (sh)

• Turkish: ezoterik (tr)

confidential; private

• Bulgarian: таен (bg) (taen), поверителен (bg) (poveritelen)
• Catalan: esotèric
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 隱秘的 / 隐秘的 (yǐnmì de)

• Czech: tajný (cs)
• Dutch: exclusief (nl)
• Finnish: luottamuksellinen (fi), yksityinen (fi)
• German: geheim (de)
• Greek: εσωτερικός (el) (esoterikós), μυστικός (el) (mystikós)
• Japanese: 秘密の (ひみつの, himitsu no)
• Polish: ezoteryczny (pl), tajny (pl), skryty (pl)
• Portuguese: confidencial (pt), secreto (pt)
• Russian: эзотери́ческий (ru) (ezoteríčeskij), та́йный (ru) (tájnyj), скры́тый (ru) (skrýtyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: езотѐричан

  Latin: ezotèričan (sh)

• Turkish: gizli (tr), saklı (tr), ezoterik (tr)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Korean: ^{(please verify)} 비전 (bijeon)
• Latin: ^{(please verify)} esōtericus
• Portuguese: ^{(please verify)} esotérico (pt)
• Ukrainian: ^{(please verify)} езотеричний (uk) (ezoteryčnyj)

Noun

esoteric (plural esoterics)

1. An esoteric doctrine or treatise; esoteric philosophy.

   Synonym: esotericism

   Antonyms: exoterism, common knowledge

2. One who believes, or is an initiate, in esoteric doctrines or rites.

   Antonym: exoteric

See also

• metaphysical
• occult
• paranormal
• supernatural
• theoretical

Anagrams

• coteries

Friulian

Adjective

esoteric

1. esoteric