esoteric

English

WOTD – 22 May 2009

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] 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”) (esoteric originally referred to the secret teachings of Greek philosophers, versus public or exoteric ones).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌɛs.əʊˈtɛɹ.ɪk/
• IPA^(key): /ˌɛs.əˈtɛɹ.ɪk/, /ˌɛs.oʊˈtɛɹ.ɪk/, enPR: ěsətěr'ĭk, ěsōtěr'ĭk

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛrɪk

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.

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

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

   an esoteric purpose

   an esoteric meeting

Synonyms

• (understood only by a chosen few or an enlightened inner circle): arcane, recondite
• (highly theoretical; not practical): cerebral
• (confidential; private): secretive

Antonyms

• exoteric

Related terms

• esoterica
• esoterically
• esotericism
• esotericist
• esoterism

Translations

understood only by a chosen few

• Afrikaans: geheimsinnig
• Bulgarian: езотеричен (bg) (ezoteričen)
• Catalan: esotèric
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 深晦 (shēnhuì)

• Czech: esoterický (cs)
• Danish: esoterisk
• Dutch: esoterisch (nl)
• Finnish: esoteerinen (fi)
• French: ésotérique (fr)
• German: esoterisch (de)
• Greek: εσωτερικός (el) (esoterikós)
• Hungarian: ezoterikus (hu)
• Icelandic: heimullegur
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: esoterico (it)
• Japanese: 秘儀の (ひぎの, higi no), 奥義の (おうぎの, ōgi no)
• Lithuanian: ezoterinis
• Macedonian: езотеричен (ezoteričen)
• Norwegian: esoterisk (no)
• Persian: خواص‌فهم (xavâs-fahm), غامض (fa) (ğâmez)
• Polish: ezoteryczny (pl) m, tajemny (pl) m
• Portuguese: esotérico (pt)
• Romanian: ezoteric (ro)
• Russian: эзотери́ческий (ru) (ezoteríčeskij)
• Serbo-Croatian: ezotèričan (sh)
• Spanish: esotérico (es)
• Swedish: esoterisk (sv)
• Turkish: ezoterik (tr), içrek (tr), bâtınî (tr) (archaic)

having to do with concepts that are highly theoretical

• Catalan: esotèric
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: akademický (cs)
• Dutch: cerebraal (nl), esoterisch (nl)
• Finnish: esoteerinen (fi)
• French: cérébral (fr)
• German: esoterisch (de)
• Greek: απόκρυφος (el) (apókryfos)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 深遠 (ja) (しんえん, shin'en)
• Macedonian: езотеричен (ezoteričen)
• Maori: puri
• Norwegian: esoterisk (no)
• Polish: zawiły (pl), niezrozumiały (pl)
• Portuguese: esotérico (pt)
• Russian: эзотери́ческий (ru) (ezoteríčeskij)
• Serbo-Croatian: ezotèričan (sh)

confidential; private

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

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: tajný (cs)
• Dutch: exclusief (nl)
• Finnish: luottamuksellinen (fi), yksityinen (fi)
• German: geheim (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: εσωτερικός (el) (esoterikós), μυστικός (el) m (mystikós)
• Japanese: 秘密の (ひみつの, himitsu no)
• Polish: ezoteryczny (pl), tajny (pl), skryty (pl)
• Portuguese: confidencial, secreto (pt)
• Russian: эзотери́ческий (ru) (ezoteríčeskij), та́йный (ru) (tájnyj), скры́тый (ru) (skrýtyj)
• Serbo-Croatian: ezotèričan (sh)
• Turkish: gizli (tr), saklı (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

• (deprecated template usage) Korean: ^{(please verify)} 비전 (bijeon)
• Latin: ^{(please verify)} esōtericus
• (deprecated template usage) Mandarin: 神秘 (zh) (shenmi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} esotérico (es)
• (deprecated template usage) Ukrainian: езотеричний (uk) (ezoteryčnyj)

See also

• exoterism
• metaphysical
• occult
• paranormal
• supernatural
• theoretical

Noun

esoteric (plural esoterics)

1. An esoteric doctrine or treatise; esoteric philosophy.
2. One who believes, or is an initiate, in esoteric doctrines or rites.

Anagrams

• coteries