Arcanist
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A craftsman who has knowledge of a manufacturing secret (specifically in the area of porcelain manufacturing). historical
"1799, William Tooke (translator), The Life of Catherine II. Empress of Russia, by Jean-Henri Castéra, London: Longman and Rees, 3rd edition, Volume 1, Preliminaries, Section 3, p. 36, The porcelain manufactory likewise entertains, excepting the modellers and arcanists, none but russian workmen […]"
- 2 A person who studies arcana or religious mysteries.
"[Catechumens] had Prayers for themselves, but were not admitted to hear the Prayers of the Faithful, which were peculiar to the Celebration of the Eucharist, from which Catechumens were excluded, But all this was, and might be done, without favouring in the least the vain Pretences of the Modern Arcanists: For in all this there was no Design to conceal such Mysteries as the Worship of Saints, and Angels, and Images, from the Knowledge of the Catechumens;"
Example
More examples"1799, William Tooke (translator), The Life of Catherine II. Empress of Russia, by Jean-Henri Castéra, London: Longman and Rees, 3rd edition, Volume 1, Preliminaries, Section 3, p. 36, The porcelain manufactory likewise entertains, excepting the modellers and arcanists, none but russian workmen […]"
Etymology
From arcane + -ist; in the sense of a craftsman with secret knowledge about porcelain manufacturing, borrowed from German Arcanist.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.