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Thursday, 28th February 2008 : Today's Word is ...
Arcane
( Adjective )
Pronunciation : aar-k�yn
Definition
1. difficult or impossible to understand
2. requiring secret knowledge to be understood
3. mysteriously obscure
4. that which is hidden or secret; usually refers to rites associated with the mystery religions or secret societies
5. known or understood by only a few
Etymology:
Early 16th century - Latin arcanus- closed, secret - arca - box
Synonyms
cabalistic, cryptic, enigmatic, mysterious, mystic, mystical, mystifying, occult, puzzling, esoteric, hidden, impenetrable, mystic, recondite, unaccountable, unknowable, esoteric, hidden, secret
� Eclectic means selecting what seems best of various styles, methods or ideas.
� Esoteric means intended for and understandable by only a small knowledgeable group.
� Mysterious means of an obscure nature.
� Mystical means having a divine meaning that transcends human understanding.
Antonyms
common, commonplace, comprehensible, knowable, known, normal, outward
Contextual Examples:
� She knew a lot about Sanskrit grammar and other arcane matters.
� I could not understand those arcane economic theories.
� Tokyo Butter is far from an elegy or a memorial; reaching beyond traditional limitations, it seeks remnants of Deidre's life, passion, and essence in news stories, arcane tidbits of science, balloon warfare, and Internet search engines, among other places.
� The rites of the secret cult were arcane. No one outside the cult knew what they were.
� The arcane formula for the cocktail was scrawled in blood on a faded scrap of paper.
� We could make out only a little of the arcane inscription on the old trunk.
Related Words:
� arcanely : Adverb
� arcaneness : Noun
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