Exotericism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A set of teachings designed for widespread understanding rather than hidden knowledge
2. A doctrine that prioritizes accessible information over esoteric wisdom for the general populace
3. The quality of being aimed at broad comprehension rather than secretive or specialized meaning

Etymology: Exotericism is built from "exoteric" plus the English suffix "-ism," which turns an adjective into a noun for a doctrine, practice or system. The adjective itself comes from Ancient Greek "exōterikos," meaning "external" or "outer," and it was used of the teachings Aristotle and other philosophers gave to general audiences, as opposed to the inner teachings reserved for their own circle of students. The Greek adjective ultimately traces to "exō," meaning "outside," which is also the root of "exotic," a word that once simply meant "foreign." The contrast between the outer and the inner circle is what gives the word its meaning: "exoteric" describes what is open to outsiders, while its opposite, "esoteric," describes what is held back for initiates.

Synonyms: public teaching, popular knowledge

Antonyms: esotericism, secret knowledge, arcana