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Esoteric

Adjective

IPA /ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk/

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Meaning in plain English

Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge or interest.

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Pronunciation

Esoteric/ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk/

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Most readers are unfamiliar
A small specialist group understands

Esoteric knowledge is understood by relatively few specialists.

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Examples in context

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The professor’s lecture on quantum string theory was fascinating—but far too esoteric for the average listener.
She had an esoteric taste in music, preferring obscure folk bands from remote corners of the world.

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The professor’s lecture on quantum string theory was fascinating—but far too ________ for the average listener.

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Esoteric — Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge or interest.

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Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge or interest.

Compare: The professor’s lecture on quantum string theory was fascinating—but far too esoteric for the average listener.

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Esoteric knowledge and its audience

Esoteric often describes knowledge or language understood by a small specialist group. It need not be deliberately secret. A specialist explanation can be clear to its intended audience while remaining esoteric to other readers. Abstruse more directly emphasizes difficulty of understanding.

In context: The guide explains esoteric printing terms for readers who have never used a press.

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Its use and understanding are limited to a specialist group. The term is not necessarily hidden or impossible to explain.

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Dictionary reference: Merriam-Webster: Esoteric.

Word origin

From Greek esoterikos, meaning inner, based on esotero, meaning further within.

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Esoteric knowledge requires a specialized interest or background. It need not be deliberately secret: a publicly available technical paper may be esoteric to non-specialists.

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