Both esoteric and exoteric started appearing in English in the 17th century; esoteric traces back to ancient Greek by way of the Late Latin esotericus. The Greek esōterikos is based on the …

ESOTERIC definition: understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest; recondite. See examples of esoteric used in a sentence.

ESOTERIC definition: 1. very unusual and understood or liked by only a small number of people, especially those with…. Learn more.

Jan 27, 2026 · esoteric (comparative more esoteric, superlative most esoteric) Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest, or an …

Jun 13, 2025 · "Esoteric" is an adjective used to describe nouns that embody specialized, obscure, or private characteristics. It is commonly associated with academic, philosophical, or mystical terms.

esoteric, the quality of having an inner or secret meaning. This term and its correlative exoteric were first applied in the ancient Greek mysteries to those who were initiated (eso, “within”) and to those who …

Definition of esoteric adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

esoteric, adj. & n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

Now when a subject is called esoteric it's usually something not so mystical but still hard to penetrate: financial accounting might seem esoteric for people who get easily stumped filling out their tax forms.

Esoteric definition: Not known by or suitable for the public; private.