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

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

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Seattle Times

Today, the reverse can seem true, with these stylized spectacles coming across as a bit remote, recondite and sturdy next to the naturalistic emotional urgency of the Italian operas.

From New York Times

Pierre Boulez — like Bernstein, a composer, though in a more recondite modernist mode — innovated with repertory mixtures and concert formats.

From New York Times

Throughout, the syntax is punchy and slangy, while the diction often grows brazenly recondite.

From Washington Post