arcanum

ar·ca·num

[ahr-key-nuhm]
noun, plural ar·ca·na [ahr-key-nuh] .
1.
Often, arcana. a secret; mystery.
2.
a supposed great secret of nature that the alchemists sought to discover.
3.
a secret and powerful remedy.

Origin:
1590–1600; < Latin, neuter (used as noun) of arcānus arcane

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To arcanum
Collins
World English Dictionary
arcanum (ɑːˈkeɪnəm) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl -na
1.  (sometimes plural) a profound secret or mystery known only to initiates
2.  a secret of nature sought by alchemists
 
[C16: from Latin; see arcane]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Arcanum is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

arcanum
proper singular form of arcana (q.v.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT