arcane

adjective

ar·​cane är-ˈkān How to pronounce arcane (audio)
: known or knowable only to a few people : secret
arcane rites
an arcane ritual
broadly : mysterious, obscure
arcane explanations
arcane technical details

Examples of arcane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Required, for arcane bureaucratic reasons, is a notarized recognition of kinship from her paternal grandparents, who have never acknowledged or communicated with Marina in the years since her father died, leaving her to be raised by adoptive parents. Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 May 2025 Congress stayed on sidelines Railroads operate under an arcane century-old federal law, the Railway Labor Act, that controls labor relations at railroads and airlines, greatly limiting the union’s ability to go on strike. Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 18 May 2025 These exceedingly arcane deliberations typically receive little attention from the public. Ben Christopher, Mercury News, 16 May 2025 Graduate students interested in learning to conduct this arcane work are a rare commodity. Eric Morgan, Wired News, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for arcane

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin arcānus "secret, private, intimate," from arca "chest, coffer, box" + -ānus -an entry 2 — more at ark

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arcane was in 1547

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arcane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arcane. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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