different between abstruse vs otherworldly

English

Etymology

From French abstrus or its source, Latin abstr?sus (“hidden, concealed”), the perfect passive participle of abstr?d? (“conceal, to push away”), itself from ab, abs (“away”) + tr?d? (“thrust, push”). Cognate with German abstrus.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?b?st?u?s/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /æb?st?us/, /?b-/
• Rhymes: -u?s
• Hyphenation: ab?struse

Adjective

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

1. Difficult to comprehend or understand. [from late 16th c.]

   Synonyms: esoteric, obscure, recondite
2. (obsolete) Concealed or hidden out of the way; secret. [from late 16th c. until mid 18th c.]

Usage notes

More abstruse and most abstruse are the preferred forms over abstruser and abstrusest.

Synonyms

• (concealed): clandestine, secret, surreptitious; See also Thesaurus:covert
• (difficult to comprehend): esoteric, obscure, recondite; See also Thesaurus:incomprehensible

Derived terms

• abstrusely
• abstruseness

Translations

References

Further reading

• abstruse in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• abstruse in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Staubers, Straubes, surbates, surbeats

French

Adjective

abstruse

1. feminine singular of abstrus

Anagrams

• arbustes

German

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

Participle

abstr?se

1. vocative masculine singular of abstr?sus

References

• abstruse in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press

English

Etymology

otherworld +? -ly

Pronunciation

• (US) enPR: ?th'?r-wûrld?li, IPA^(key): /??ð??w?ld.li/

Adjective

otherworldly (comparative more otherworldly, superlative most otherworldly)

1. Of, concerned with, or preoccupied with a different world than that of the tangible here and now, such as a heavenly, spiritual, or imaginary world.
   • 1917, H. G. Wells, God, the Invisible King, ch. 5,

     Every religion that becomes ascendant, in so far as it is not otherworldly, must necessarily set its stamp upon the methods and administration of the law.

   • 2007, Clive Davis, "Simphiwe Dana: The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street," Times of London, 26 Aug.,

     Dana has the otherworldly temperament of a mystic.

2. Not belonging to the real world; unnatural; odd and unfamiliar.

Alternative forms

• other-worldly

Translations

Synonyms

• (of a different world): alien, ethereal, mystical, transcendental

Related terms

• other-worldly