acroamatic
Americanadjective
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conveyed orally and only to chosen followers; arcane or esoteric.
As a youth, Alexander the Great was tutored in Aristotle’s lesser-known, acroamatic teachings.
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relating to an oral method of instruction addressed only to chosen followers, who typically listen without responding or asking questions.
According to Bacon, the acroamatic method was used with discretion by the ancients.
noun
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Acroamatics, the private lectures of Aristotle, involving his deeper teachings and delivered only to a chosen few.
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a piece of instruction that is conveyed orally and only to chosen followers.
Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the sower was originally an acroamatic offered only to the twelve disciples.
Etymology
Origin of acroamatic
First recorded in 1630–40; from Late Latin acroamaticus, from Greek akroamatikós “intended only for hearing, esoteric, secret,” from akróama “anything heard with pleasure; a piece read, heard, recited, or sung” (derivative of akroá(zesthai), akroâ(sthai) “to hear, listen” + -ōma, passive noun suffix) + -tikós -tic ( def. )
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
