esotericadj.n.

Brit.

/ˌiːsə(ʊ)ˈtɛrɪk/,

/ˌɛsə(ʊ)ˈtɛrɪk/, U.S.

/ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk/

Etymology: < Greek ἐσωτερικός, < ἐσωτέρω, comparative of ἔσω within. The Greek word occurs first in Lucian, who ascribes to Aristotle a classification of his own works into ‘esoteric’ and ‘exoteric’. (Cicero De Fin. v. §5 recognizes such a classification but uses only the term ‘exoteric’, leaving the opposite class undesignated; Aristotle himself merely uses ἐξωτερικός in the sense of ‘popular, untechnical’.) By later writers the word was employed to designate the secret doctrines said to have been taught by Pythagoras to a select few among his disciples.

A. adj.

a. Of philosophical doctrines, treatises, modes of speech, etc.: Designed for, or appropriate to, an inner circle of advanced or privileged disciples; communicated to, or intelligible by, the initiated exclusively. Hence of disciples: Belonging to the inner circle, admitted to the esoteric teaching. Opposed to exoteric adj. and n. Esoteric Buddhism: a system of ‘theosophical’ doctrines, alleged by its adherents to have been handed down by secret tradition among an initiated class of Buddhists.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > secrecy, concealment > a profound secret, mystery > [adjective] > kept secret, esoteric

occult1480

secret1526

acroamatical1579

acroamatic1635

acroatic1656

esoteric1660

esoterical1850

society > faith > aspects of faith > doctrine > [adjective] > esoteric

esoteric1817

esoterical1850

society > faith > sect > non-Christian religions > Buddhism > Buddhist sects and groups > [noun] > esoteric

Esoteric Buddhism1883

1660 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. III. i. 43 The Auditors of Pythagoras..were of two sorts, Exoterick and Esoterick: the Exotericks were those who were under probation, which if they well performed, they were admitted to be Esotericks.

a1754 H. Fielding Comm. Bolingbroke's Ess. in Jrnl. Voy. Lisbon (1755) 208 Rescuing the esoteric purity of his doctrines from that less amiable appearance in which their exoteric garb represents them.

1755 W. Warburton Divine Legation Moses (ed. 4) II. iii. ii. 98 The exoteric teaching [of the Pythagoreans] admitted fable and falsehood..the esoteric, only what the teacher believed to be true.

a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued (1777) III. iv. 478 These two classes [the adept and the vulgar] must be addressed in two different languages, the esoteric and the exoteric.

1817 S. T. Coleridge Biographia Literaria I. x. 200 I considered..the Trinity..entitled to the rank of an esoteric doctrine of natural religion.

1837 H. Hallam Introd. Lit. Europe I. iii. 278 A hidden stream of esoteric truth was supposed to flow beneath all the surface of Scripture.

1883 A. P. Sinnett Esoteric Buddhism (title) Esoteric Buddhism.

b. absol. quasi-n. = ‘Esoteric sense’. rare.

ΚΠ

1842 E. B. Browning Greek Christian Poets & Eng. Poets (1863) 52 The esoteric of the most suspicious turnings of his phraseology is ‘Glory to the true God’.

2. transferred.

a. Of motives, purposes, etc.: Not openly avowed.

ΚΠ

a1859 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. (1861) V. 206 His esoteric project was the original project of Christopher Columbus.

1866 G. W. Thornbury Greatheart III. 176 He had two motives in his visit, an exoteric and an esoteric motive.

b. Pertaining to a select circle; private, confidential.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > hiding, concealing from view > privacy > [adjective]

sundereOE

privyc1300

close1393

private1472

soleinc1475

secret1528

retired1595

implicit1610

cabinet1611

underhanda1616

closet1639

umbratile1640

closeteda1649

curtain1661

recluse1673

snug1710

pocket1804

entre nous1806

underground1820

sub rosa1824

esoterical1850

esoteric1876

1876 W. Black Madcap Violet xliii How could he aid in this esoteric interview?

1881 Nature 20 Oct. 578/2 There is nothing to hinder them having also more esoteric meetings at stated intervals.

c. Qualifying a personal epithet: That is esoterically such.

ΚΠ

1876 A. M. Fairbairn Strauss 11 Strauss had hardly the stuff in him to be an exoteric Conservative while an esoteric Radical.

3. Physiology. (In etymological sense): ‘Applied to things which relate to, or have origin within the organism’ ( New Sydenham Soc. Lexicon).

ΚΠ

1860 R. G. Mayne Expos. Lexicon Med. Sci.

B. n.

1. plural (after Greek τὰ ἐσωτερικά.) Esoteric doctrines; esoteric treatises.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > secrecy, concealment > a profound secret, mystery > [noun] > secret doctrine or art

cabbalisma1592

black art1610

cabalie1652

Cabbala1665

esoterics1711

dark art1748

esotery1763

masonry1841

esotericac1929

1711 tr. S. Werenfels Disc. Logomachys 99 Aristotle's Books of deep Learning, his Acroamaticks, Esotericks, Epopticks, and mysterious Writings.

1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. ii. 146 Our predecessors had their esoterics and exoterics.

1809 J. Jebb Let. 23 Feb. in J. Jebb & A. Knox Thirty Years' Corr. (1834) I. 488 Alexander complained to Aristotle, that he had done ill to give the world his esotericks.

1821 S. Parr Wks. (1828) VIII. 353 I must, in my esoterics, stand aloof from all controversies.

2. One initiated in esoteric doctrines.

ΚΠ

1660 [see sense A. 1a].

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1891; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	esoteric
释义	esotericadj.n. Brit. /ˌiːsə(ʊ)ˈtɛrɪk/, /ˌɛsə(ʊ)ˈtɛrɪk/, U.S. /ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk/ Etymology: < Greek ἐσωτερικός, < ἐσωτέρω, comparative of ἔσω within. The Greek word occurs first in Lucian, who ascribes to Aristotle a classification of his own works into ‘esoteric’ and ‘exoteric’. (Cicero De Fin. v. §5 recognizes such a classification but uses only the term ‘exoteric’, leaving the opposite class undesignated; Aristotle himself merely uses ἐξωτερικός in the sense of ‘popular, untechnical’.) By later writers the word was employed to designate the secret doctrines said to have been taught by Pythagoras to a select few among his disciples. A. adj. 1. a. Of philosophical doctrines, treatises, modes of speech, etc.: Designed for, or appropriate to, an inner circle of advanced or privileged disciples; communicated to, or intelligible by, the initiated exclusively. Hence of disciples: Belonging to the inner circle, admitted to the esoteric teaching. Opposed to exoteric adj. and n. Esoteric Buddhism: a system of ‘theosophical’ doctrines, alleged by its adherents to have been handed down by secret tradition among an initiated class of Buddhists. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > secrecy, concealment > a profound secret, mystery > [adjective] > kept secret, esoteric occult1480 secret1526 acroamatical1579 acroamatic1635 acroatic1656 esoteric1660 esoterical1850 society > faith > aspects of faith > doctrine > [adjective] > esoteric esoteric1817 esoterical1850 society > faith > sect > non-Christian religions > Buddhism > Buddhist sects and groups > [noun] > esoteric Esoteric Buddhism1883 1660 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. III. i. 43 The Auditors of Pythagoras..were of two sorts, Exoterick and Esoterick: the Exotericks were those who were under probation, which if they well performed, they were admitted to be Esotericks. a1754 H. Fielding Comm. Bolingbroke's Ess. in Jrnl. Voy. Lisbon (1755) 208 Rescuing the esoteric purity of his doctrines from that less amiable appearance in which their exoteric garb represents them. 1755 W. Warburton Divine Legation Moses (ed. 4) II. iii. ii. 98 The exoteric teaching [of the Pythagoreans] admitted fable and falsehood..the esoteric, only what the teacher believed to be true. a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued (1777) III. iv. 478 These two classes [the adept and the vulgar] must be addressed in two different languages, the esoteric and the exoteric. 1817 S. T. Coleridge Biographia Literaria I. x. 200 I considered..the Trinity..entitled to the rank of an esoteric doctrine of natural religion. 1837 H. Hallam Introd. Lit. Europe I. iii. 278 A hidden stream of esoteric truth was supposed to flow beneath all the surface of Scripture. 1883 A. P. Sinnett Esoteric Buddhism (title) Esoteric Buddhism. b. absol. quasi-n. = ‘Esoteric sense’. rare. ΚΠ 1842 E. B. Browning Greek Christian Poets & Eng. Poets (1863) 52 The esoteric of the most suspicious turnings of his phraseology is ‘Glory to the true God’. 2. transferred. a. Of motives, purposes, etc.: Not openly avowed. ΚΠ a1859 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. (1861) V. 206 His esoteric project was the original project of Christopher Columbus. 1866 G. W. Thornbury Greatheart III. 176 He had two motives in his visit, an exoteric and an esoteric motive. b. Pertaining to a select circle; private, confidential. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > hiding, concealing from view > privacy > [adjective] sundereOE privyc1300 close1393 private1472 soleinc1475 secret1528 retired1595 implicit1610 cabinet1611 underhanda1616 closet1639 umbratile1640 closeteda1649 curtain1661 recluse1673 snug1710 pocket1804 entre nous1806 underground1820 sub rosa1824 esoterical1850 esoteric1876 1876 W. Black Madcap Violet xliii How could he aid in this esoteric interview? 1881 Nature 20 Oct. 578/2 There is nothing to hinder them having also more esoteric meetings at stated intervals. c. Qualifying a personal epithet: That is esoterically such. ΚΠ 1876 A. M. Fairbairn Strauss 11 Strauss had hardly the stuff in him to be an exoteric Conservative while an esoteric Radical. 3. Physiology. (In etymological sense): ‘Applied to things which relate to, or have origin within the organism’ ( New Sydenham Soc. Lexicon). ΚΠ 1860 R. G. Mayne Expos. Lexicon Med. Sci. B. n. 1. plural (after Greek τὰ ἐσωτερικά.) Esoteric doctrines; esoteric treatises. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > secrecy, concealment > a profound secret, mystery > [noun] > secret doctrine or art cabbalisma1592 black art1610 cabalie1652 Cabbala1665 esoterics1711 dark art1748 esotery1763 masonry1841 esotericac1929 1711 tr. S. Werenfels Disc. Logomachys 99 Aristotle's Books of deep Learning, his Acroamaticks, Esotericks, Epopticks, and mysterious Writings. 1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. ii. 146 Our predecessors had their esoterics and exoterics. 1809 J. Jebb Let. 23 Feb. in J. Jebb & A. Knox Thirty Years' Corr. (1834) I. 488 Alexander complained to Aristotle, that he had done ill to give the world his esotericks. 1821 S. Parr Wks. (1828) VIII. 353 I must, in my esoterics, stand aloof from all controversies. 2. One initiated in esoteric doctrines. ΚΠ 1660 [see sense A. 1a]. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1891; most recently modified version published online June 2022). < adj.n.1660
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