[ad_1] adjective
- understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest; recondite: poetry full of esoteric allusions.
- belonging to the select few.
- private; secret; confidential.
- (of a philosophical doctrine or the like) intended to be revealed only to the initiates of a group: the esoteric doctrines of Pythagoras.
adjective
- restricted to or intended for an enlightened or initiated minority, esp because of abstruseness or obscurityan esoteric cult Compare exoteric
- difficult to understand; abstrusean esoteric statement
- not openly admitted; privateesoteric aims
1650s, from Greek esoterikos “belonging to an inner circle,” from esotero “more within,” comparative adverb of eso “within,” related to eis “into,” en “in” (see en- (2)).
In English, originally of Pythagorean doctrines. According to Lucian, the division of teachings into exoteric and esoteric originated with Aristotle.