esoteric, the quality of having an inner or secret meaning. This term and its correlative exoteric were first applied in the ancient Greek mysteries to those who were initiated (eso, “within”) and to those who were not (exo, “outside”), respectively. Esoteric means very unusual and understood or liked by only a small number of people, especially those with special knowledge. Learn how to use this word in different contexts, see examples from the Cambridge English Corpus and find translations in other languages. Pssst... do you know the secret handshake? If you haven't been brought into the inner circle of those with special knowledge, esoteric things will remain a mystery to ... esoteric, adj. & n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary
