Word | exoteric |
---|---|
Date | October 14, 2019 |
Type | adjective |
Syllables | ek-suh-TAIR-ik |
Etymology | Exoteric derives from Latin exotericus, which is itself from Greek exōterikos, meaning "external," and ultimately from exō, meaning "outside." Exō has a number of offspring in English, including exotic, exonerate, exorbitant, and the combining form exo- or ex- (as in exoskeleton and exobiology). The antonym of exoteric is esoteric, meaning "designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone"; it descends from the Greek word for "within," esō. |
Examples | As a specialist writing for a broader audience, Annette faces the challenge of producing an exoteric synthesis of complex information. "Mainstream Judaism is primarily an exoteric, or outwardly oriented, religion, with a focus on reason, philosophy and ethics. Yet it has always had an esoteric side, expressed in the kabbalah and other mystical teachings." — Rodger Kamenetz, The San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Dec. 1990 |
Definition | 1 a : suitable to be imparted to the public b : belonging to the outer or less initiate circle 2 : relating to the outside : external |
Tags: wordoftheday::adjective
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