abstruse
Also found in: Thesaurus, Wikipedia.
abstruse
hard to understand; esoteric: abstruse theories; recondite, incomprehensible, unfathomable, arcane
Not to be confused with:
obtuse – not quick or alert in perception, feeling, or intellect; dull, blunt, unfeeling, tactless, insensitive: an obtuse statement made without considering its effect; slow, dim; boorish; indistinctly felt or perceived, as pain or sound
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
ab·struse
(ăb-stro͞os′, əb-)adj.
Difficult to understand; recondite: The students avoided the professor's abstruse lectures.
[Latin abstrūsus, past participle of abstrūdere, to hide : abs-, ab-, away; see ab-1 + trūdere, to push; see treud- in Indo-European roots.]
ab·struse′ly adv.
ab·struse′ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
abstruse
(əbˈstruːs)adj
not easy to understand; recondite; esoteric
[C16: from Latin abstrūsus thrust away, concealed, from abs- ab-1 + trūdere to thrust]
abˈstrusely adv
abˈstruseness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ab•struse
(æbˈstrus)adj.
1. hard to understand; recondite; esoteric: abstruse theories.
2. Obs. secret; hidden.
[1590–1600; < Latin abstrūsus literally, concealed, past participle of abstrūdere to conceal from view =abs- abs- + trūdere to thrust, push]
ab•struse′ly, adv.
ab•struse′ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Adj. | 1. | ![]() esoteric - confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle; "a compilation of esoteric philosophical theories" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
abstruse
adjective obscure, complex, confusing, puzzling, subtle, mysterious, concealed, abstract, vague, deep, dark, hidden, unclear, ambiguous, enigmatic, esoteric, perplexing, opaque, incomprehensible, arcane, hazy, cryptic, unfathomable, recondite, Delphic, clear as mud (informal) Meetings keep reverting to discussions about abstruse resolutions.
open, clear, plain, apparent, bold, patent, evident, manifest, transparent, conspicuous, overt, self-evident, perceptible, unsubtle
open, clear, plain, apparent, bold, patent, evident, manifest, transparent, conspicuous, overt, self-evident, perceptible, unsubtle
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
abstruse
adjectiveThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
مُبْهَم، عَوِيص، صَعْبْ الفَهْم
těžko pochopitelný
dunkel
nehezen érthető
torskilinn
painumaspainus
grūti saprotamsneskaidrs
anlaşılması zorçapraşık
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
abstruse
adj → abstrus
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
abstruse
[əbˈstruːs] adj (theory, concept) → astruso/aCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
abstruse
(əbˈstruːs) adjective difficult to understand. abstruse reasoning.
abˈstruseness nounKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.