esoteric

[ es-uh-ter-ik ]
/ ˌɛs əˈtɛr ɪk /

adjective

understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest; recondite: poetry full of esoteric allusions.
belonging to the select few.
private; secret; confidential.
(of a philosophical doctrine or the like) intended to be revealed only to the initiates of a group: the esoteric doctrines of Pythagoras.

Origin of esoteric

1645–55; < Greek esōterikós inner, equivalent to esṓter(os) inner + -ikos -ic

OTHER WORDS FROM esoteric

es·o·ter·i·cal·ly, adverb non·es·o·ter·ic, adjective non·es·o·ter·i·cal·ly, adverb un·es·o·ter·ic, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH esoteric

esoteric exoteric

Example sentences from the Web for esoteric

British Dictionary definitions for esoteric

esoteric
/ (ˌɛsəʊˈtɛrɪk) /

adjective

restricted to or intended for an enlightened or initiated minority, esp because of abstruseness or obscurity an esoteric cult Compare exoteric
difficult to understand; abstruse an esoteric statement
not openly admitted; private esoteric aims

Derived forms of esoteric

esoterically, adverb esotericism, noun

Word Origin for esoteric

C17: from Greek esōterikos, from esōterō inner