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abstruse definition

Overview

This page has 9 definitions of abstruse with English translations in 4 languages. Abstruse is an adjective and participle. Also define these 0 related words and terms: .

English abstruse definition

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),[1] 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)).

Pronunciation

Adjective

abstruse (comparative abstruser or more abstruse, superlative abstrusest or most abstruse) (formal)

  1. Difficult to comprehend or understand; obscure. [from mid 16th c.]
    Synonyms: abstrusive, arcane, cryptic, esoteric, recondite; see also Thesaurus:incomprehensible
    Antonyms: clear, obvious, understandable; see also Thesaurus:comprehensible
  2. (obsolete) Concealed or hidden; secret. [late 16th – mid 18th c.]
    Synonyms: (obsolete) abstrused, clandestine, surreptitious; see also Thesaurus:covert, Thesaurus:hidden
    Antonyms: open, patent, unconcealed, unhidden

Usage notes

More abstruse and most abstruse are the preferred forms over abstruser and abstrusest. Do not confuse abstruse (hard to understand) with obtuse (failing to understand).

Derived terms

Related terms

 

Translations

References

  1. ^ Compare “abstruse, adj.”, in OED Online , Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2021; “abstruse, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading

Anagrams


French abstruse definition

Pronunciation

Adjective

abstruse

  1. feminine singular of abstrus

Anagrams


German abstruse definition

Pronunciation

Adjective

abstruse

  1. inflection of abstrus:
    1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
    2. strong nominative/accusative plural
    3. weak nominative all-gender singular
    4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Latin abstruse definition

Participle

abstrūse

  1. vocative masculine singular of abstrūsus

References