arcane

adjective

ar·​cane är-ˈkān 

: known or knowable only to a few people : secret

arcane rites

an arcane ritual

broadly : mysterious, obscure

arcane explanations

arcane technical details

Synonyms

• abstruse
• deep
• esoteric
• hermetic
• hermetical
• profound
• recondite

Examples of arcane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mediation briefs, pleadings, depositions and expert reports can be relevant, and sometimes there is more arcane evidence. —Robert W. Wood, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Illinois has the most local governments in the nation, multiplying the chances for corruption Illinois’ arcane ballot rules turn politics into a blood sport where only the most powerful and savvy survive Chicago police bet big on pricey surveillance cameras. —Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024

In their initial explorations, the biologists, clad in their yellow gloves, carried out a series of ever more arcane rituals. —Jeff Vandermeer, WIRED, 22 Oct. 2024

In truth, Ferrari’s in-house Centro Stile has long got used to translating the arcane requirements of the company’s tech bros into something visually stimulating. —Jason Barlow, WIRED, 17 Oct. 2024

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