ARCANE defined

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin arcānus (“hidden, secret”), from arceō (“to shut up, enclose”); cognate with Latin arca (“a chest”).

Adjective

arcane (comparative more arcane, superlative most arcane)

1. Understood by only a few. synonym, antonym ▲Synonym: esotericAntonym: mundane

arcane rituals

2. (by extension) Obscure, mysterious. synonyms ▲Synonyms: enigmatic, esoteric, recondite, clandestine

arcane origins

arcane details

3. Requiring secret or mysterious knowledge to understand. quotations ▼
4. Extremely old (e.g. interpretation or knowledge), and possibly irrelevant.

An arcane law