Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Abstruse

//əbˈstɹuːs// adj

Definitions

Adjective

1
Difficult to comprehend or understand; obscure. formal
"Some time the good makithe an ile end⸝ ãd the ile a godd. In this opiniõ⸝ and in ſcrutable miſterie be werithe all his wittes⸝ and at the end of his cogitacions⸝ fyndithe more abſtruſe⸝ and doutfull obiections thẽ at the beginning⸝ […]"
2
Concealed or hidden; secret. formal, obsolete
"O vvho is he that could carrie nevves to our olde father, that thou vvert but aliue, although thou vvert hidden in the moſt abſtruſe dungeons of Barbarie; for his riches, my brothers and mine vvould fetch thee from thence."

Adjective

1
difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge wordnet

Etymology

PIE word *h₂epó Learned borrowing from Latin abstrūsus (“concealed, hidden; having been concealed”), an adjective use of the perfect passive participle of abstrūdō (“to conceal, hide; to push or thrust away”), from abs- (from ab- (prefix meaning ‘away; from; away from’)) + trūdō (“to push, shove; to thrust”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *trewd- (“to push; to thrust”)). Cognates * Catalan abstrús * German abstrus (“abstruse”) * Italian astruso (“abstruse”) * Middle French abstruse (modern French abstrus, abstruse (“(derogatory, literary) abstruse”) * Portuguese abstruso (“abstruse”) * Spanish abstruso (“abstruse”)

Next best steps

Find stronger synonyms See usage examples Check pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: abstruse