recondite

[ rek-uhn-dahyt, ri-kon-dahyt ]

adjective

1. dealing with very profound, difficult, or abstruse subject matter:

   a recondite treatise.

2. beyond ordinary knowledge or understanding; esoteric:

   recondite principles.

   Synonyms: deep

   Antonyms: exoteric

3. little known; obscure:

   a recondite fact.

   Synonyms: secret, occult, mysterious

   Antonyms: well-known

recondite

/ rɪˈkɒndaɪt; ˈrɛkənˌdaɪt /

adjective

1. requiring special knowledge to be understood; abstruse
2. dealing with abstruse or profound subjects

Derived Forms

• reˈconditeness, noun
• reˈconditely, adverb

Other Words From

• recon·ditely adverb
• recon·diteness noun
• un·recon·dite adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of recondite¹

1640–50; earlier recondit < Latin reconditus recondite, hidden (originally past participle of recondere to hide), equivalent to re- re- + cond ( ere ) to bring together ( con- con- + -dere to put) + -itus -ite ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of recondite¹

C17: from Latin reconditus hidden away, from re- + condere to conceal

Example Sentences

How else to explain the popularity of a novel so free of plot, so obsessed with existential rumination and recondite philosophy?

From The Daily Beast

Classical allusions, poetical turns of phrase, antique diction, recondite words.

From The Daily Beast

Fortunately, the considerations which are necessary are not recondite, and all the facts are of an extremely picturesque nature.

From Project Gutenberg

But to determine what these propositions are, is the opus magnum of the more recondite mental philosophy.

From Project Gutenberg

Such superstitions as these last must be the result of study; they are too recondite for natural or spontaneous growth.

From Project Gutenberg

The scheme of the pronouns is very complete, and provides for nearly all the recondite distinctions of person.

From Project Gutenberg

To develop truths so recondite there would be needed a knowledge of nature much greater than that which we have.

From Project Gutenberg