arcanum

noun

ar·​ca·​num är-ˈkā-nəm 

plural arcana är-ˈkā-nə 

1

: mysterious or specialized knowledge, language, or information accessible or possessed only by the initiate

—usually used in plural

2

: elixir sense 1

Did you know?

The word arcanum (pluralized as "arcana") came from Latin arcanus, meaning "secret," and entered English as the Dark Ages gave way to the Renaissance. It was often used in reference to the mysteries of the physical and spiritual worlds, subjects of heavy scrutiny and rethinking at the time. Alchemists were commonly said to be pursuing the arcana of nature, and they sought elixirs for changing base metals into gold, prolonging life, and curing disease. The frequent association of the word with the alchemists' elixirs influenced the use of "arcanum" for "elixir."

Examples of arcanum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What became clear is that even publishers, agents, and retailers, who’ve rightly been focused on signing writers and selling books, didn’t appreciate how much the arcana of the business would matter in the move to digital platforms. —Tim Carmody, WIRED, 3 Aug. 2010

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin arcānum "secret, mystery, hidden place," noun derivative from neuter of arcānus "secret, private" — more at arcane

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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