recondite

American  

[rek-uhn-dahyt, ri-kon-dahyt] / ˈrɛk ənˌdaɪt, rɪˈkɒn daɪt /

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

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recondite British  

/ rɪˈkɒndaɪt, ˈrɛkənˌdaɪt /

adjective

1. requiring special knowledge to be understood; abstruse

2. dealing with abstruse or profound subjects

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Other Word Forms

• reconditely adverb
• reconditeness noun
• unrecondite adjective

Etymology

Origin of recondite

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

Example Sentences

The wisdom-of-crowds argument presupposes that the masses possess some recondite knowledge that can be unlocked by allowing individuals to express themselves as part of an anonymous mob.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

Success and failure in the movie business is the most recondite of qualities.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2024

Today, a number of doyens in the recondite field of AI admit they don’t know where all this is headed.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 6, 2023

The freezer shelves at Whole Foods tell the story of artisan ice cream’s success, with multiplying labels and their recondite flavors jostling for space.

From New York Times • Aug. 13, 2021

A pair of actors trapped in a recondite play with no hint of plot or narrative.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy