Occult

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈɒk.ʌlt/

Definitions

1. Knowledge or practices kept secret or beyond ordinary understanding ; concerning supernatural or magical forces and events ; to conceal or keep something out of sight
2. Secret teachings or skills not open to the general public ; describing things related to magic or mysterious powers ; the act of covering or obscuring something from view
3. Information or abilities deliberately kept unknown or mysterious ; connected with mystical or paranormal phenomena ; to hide or shield something from being seen

Etymology: The adjective "occult" comes from the Latin "occultus," meaning "hidden" or "secret." That Latin word is itself built from "ob," meaning "over" or "against," and "celare," meaning "to hide," which is the source of English "conceal." So at root, something occult is something covered over, out of sight. English borrowed the word directly from Latin, and its early uses kept that plain sense of the hidden or concealed, before the meaning narrowed to knowledge and practices thought to lie beyond ordinary understanding. Today the adjective is mostly tied to magic, the supernatural, and esoteric traditions, which is why a "hidden" quality became linked with rituals and forbidden lore.

Synonyms: hidden, secret, mysterious, esoteric

Antonyms: obvious, public