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arcane

 - 3 dictionary results

ar·cane

   [ahr-keyn]
–adjective
known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric: She knew a lot about sanskrit grammar and other arcane matters.
Use arcane in a Sentence
Origin:
1540–50; (< MF) < L arcānus, equiv. to arc(ēre) to shut up, keep (deriv. of arca a chest, box) + -ānus -an
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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World English Dictionary
arcane (ɑːˈkeɪn) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—adj
requiring secret knowledge to be understood; mysterious; esoteric
 
[C16: from Latin arcānus secret, hidden, from arcēre to shut up, keep safe]
 
ar'canely
 
—adv
 
ar'caneness
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin & History

arcane
1540s, from L. arcanus "secret, hidden," from arcere "close up, enclose, contain," from arca "chest, box," from PIE *ark- "to hold, contain, guard" (cf. Gk. arkos "defense," arkein "to ward off;" Arm. argel "obstacle;" Lith. raktas "key," rakinti "to shut, lock").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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