Abditory

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈæb.dɪt.ə.ɹi/

Definitions

1. A location or realm that is not readily apparent or visible
2. An environment distinguished by its concealed nature and obscurity
3. A space concealed from view or not easily found

Etymology: "Abditory" is a rare adjective meaning hidden or hard to find, and it comes from Medieval Latin "abditorium," a noun meaning a hiding place or storehouse. That noun was built from the Latin verb "abdere," "to hide away," which combined "ab," "away," with "dere," "to put." The same Latin verb gave English "abdicate" and "abdomen," though those reached English by different routes and carry quite different senses. The word's meaning shifted as it passed from noun to adjective. A "abditorium" was a physical place where things were concealed, so the adjective naturally described things kept out of sight. The Latin root stayed close to its literal sense of putting something away, which is why the adjective still carries the idea of concealment rather than of mystery or secrecy in general.

Synonyms: hidden, concealed, secretive

Antonyms: obvious, open, apparent