arcane
Use Arcane in a sentence
adjective
known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric: She knew a lot about Sanskrit grammar and other arcane matters.
Origin:
1540–50; (< Middle French) < Latin arcānus, equivalent to arc(ēre) to shut up, keep (derivative of arca a chest, box) + -ānus -an
1540–50; (< Middle French) < Latin arcānus, equivalent to arc(ēre) to shut up, keep (derivative of arca a chest, box) + -ānus -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To arcane
Collins
World English Dictionary
arcane (ɑːˈkeɪn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —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
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Arcane
is a GRE word you need to know.
So is gradient. Does it mean:
| An extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally, as to wait an eternity. |
| m riserun m y1 - y2x1 - x2 |
Etymonline
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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Example sentences
The illustrations are a mix of overfamiliar and refreshingly arcane.
He immersed himself in their arcane biology, and he interviewed numerous scientists and security experts.
Once you've grasped that idea, one aspect of the mystery of development isn't particularly arcane.
Everyone will learn a lot about the arcane art of scrimshaw.
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