Esoteric
/ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Esoteric means that something is secret, special, or difficult to understand for most people. It often refers to knowledge, ideas, or information that only experts or people with special training can understand well. This word is used when something is not for everyone but only for a few who have learned about it deeply.
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See It in Action
Known or understood by only a small group with special knowledge
- •The professor’s lecture was so esoteric that most students couldn’t follow it.
- •The book contains esoteric information about ancient languages.
- •Only a few people understand the esoteric details of this science.
Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge
- •The art exhibit featured esoteric works that appealed to expert critics.
- •His jokes were esoteric, making them funny only to those who knew the background.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "esoteric" like "secret," but not hidden to be mysterious, instead hidden because it needs special knowledge to understand.
- ✓Picture a small group of people reading a complicated book that others find too hard or boring.
- ✓It's the feeling when you are part of a club that knows special rules or facts that others don’t.
- ✓Sounds like "easy to trick" → imagine something tricky or hard to get unless you know the secret.
- ✓Think of a wizard’s spell book that only other wizards can read and understand.
- ✓NOT like "common" (known by many), esoteric means known by very few.
- ✓NOT like "simple" (easy to understand), esoteric means complex and deep.
- ✓NOT like "secret" in the sense of hiding from everyone, but secret because it is hard to understand without special knowledge.
Try Other Words
- •Obscure: not well known or difficult to understand (Use when something is unclear or not famous)
- •Specialized: made for a particular group or purpose (Use when something is designed for experts or a specific group)
- •Complex: difficult to understand because it has many parts (Use when emphasizing difficulty in understanding)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: from Greek "eso-" meaning "within" + "teric" related to "holding" or "pertaining to"
- •Etymology: Comes from Greek "esōterikos," meaning "inner" or "belonging to the inner circle"
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe teachings or knowledge meant only for a small, inner group
- •Modern usage: Used to describe ideas, knowledge, or things that are difficult for most people to understand because they are meant for experts or insiders
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be esoteric but still useful for many people? How?
•How does knowing that a topic is esoteric affect your interest or motivation to learn it?
Fill in the blanks
1.The professor’s explanation was esoteric because it used ___ words and ideas only experts know.
2.People find the topic esoteric when it requires ___ knowledge to understand.
3.Unlike popular science books, esoteric texts are written for ___ audiences.
4.She shared esoteric knowledge that was not ___ to the general public.
5.The lecture was so esoteric that most students felt ___ and confused.
6.Esoteric ideas often ___ common understanding because they are complex.
7.When a subject is esoteric, it usually ___ detailed study and special training.