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arcane

 - 3 dictionary results

ar⋅cane

  [ahr-keyn]
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; (< MF) < L arcānus, equiv. to arc(ēre) to shut up, keep (deriv. of arca a chest, box) + -ānus -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ar·cane   (är-kān')   
adj.  Known or understood by only a few: arcane economic theories. See Synonyms at mysterious.

[Latin arcānus, secret, from arca, chest.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

arcane 
1547, from L. arcanus "secret, hidden," from arcere "close up," from arca "chest, box," from PIE *ark- "to hold, contain, guard" (cf. Gk. arkos "defense," Arm. argel "obstacle," Lith. raktas "key," rakinti "to shut, lock"). Arcana "hidden things" (1599) is a direct adoptation of the L. plural of arcanum, neut. of arcanus.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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