different between idiomatic vs abstruse

English

Alternative forms

• idiomatick (obsolete)

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ??????????? (idi?matikós, “related to an idiom”), from ?????? (idí?ma, “idiom”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??di.??mæt?k/

Adjective

idiomatic (comparative more idiomatic, superlative most idiomatic)

1. Pertaining or conforming to idiom, the natural mode of expression of a language.

   The inclusion or omission of definite articles follows idiomatic norms in each language and depends on context and intent.

   In English, the only idiomatic position for a pronoun as the object of a phrasal verb is before the particle, whereas a noun as object can fall either before or after the particle; thus only he picked them up but either he picked his tools up or he picked up his tools.

2. Resembling or characteristic of an idiom.

   an idiomatic phrase that warns us against pollyannaism is counting one's chickens before they hatch

3. (music) Parts or pieces which are written both within the natural physical limitations of the instrument and human body and, less so or less often, the styles of playing used on specific instruments.

Antonyms

• nonidiomatic
• unidiomatic

Related terms

• idiom
• idiomatical
• idiomatically
• idiomaticity
• idiomaticize
• idiomaticness

Translations

Noun

idiomatic (plural idiomatics)

1. Synonym of idiom

References

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

Romanian

Etymology

From French idiomatique

Adjective

idiomatic m or n (feminine singular idiomatic?, masculine plural idiomatici, feminine and neuter plural idiomatice)

1. idiomatic

Declension

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