arcane

adjective

ar·​cane är-ˈkān How to pronounce arcane (audio)
: known or knowable only to a few people : secret
arcane rites
an arcane ritual
broadly : mysterious, obscure
arcane explanations
arcane technical details

Examples of arcane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The mind-teasers here require real out-of-the-box thinking, careful observation of the smallest environmental details, and multi-step deciphering of arcane codes. Ars Technica, 22 Dec. 2024 Related Articles Mercy is a good thing, sometimes The decline in fentanyl ODs nationally Lessons from the ugly Korematsu decision Trump backs port union’s arcane goals It’s been immersed in scandal as state and county oversight reports have shown. The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 19 Dec. 2024 Cruisers of all stripes are familiar with the concept of force majeure, an arcane clause in maritime law that predates the Napoleonic Code. Bridget Read, Curbed, 18 Dec. 2024 In those first two years, Democrats used the arcane maneuver to bypass GOP opposition to approve a sweeping $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan, in 2021. Aris Folley, The Hill, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for arcane 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin arcānus "secret, private, intimate," from arca "chest, coffer, box" + -ānus -an entry 2 — more at ark

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arcane was in 1547

Dictionary Entries Near arcane

Cite this Entry

“Arcane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arcane. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

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