occult · adj — secret; hidden from general knowledge; undetected. It carries an Arena rating of 1596, earned across 7 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, occult ranks #161 of 17,144 for Most Malleable Words, #1,087 of 17,134 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,501 of 17,152 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #2,368 of 17,134 for Most Elegant Words.
occult is pronounced /ˈɒk.ʌlt/.
Why “occult” is a great word
Pertaining to that which is concealed, secret, or hidden, especially knowledge or practices involving the supernatural. From the Latin occultus, past participle of occulere ("to cover over, conceal, hide"), from ob- ("over") + a derivative of celare ("to hide"). Unlike "esoteric" knowledge, which is guarded for a select few by design, or anything "overt" and plainly visible, the occult is that which is inherently obscured, whether by shadow, intention, or the nature of reality itself. It is the shape moving just outside the lantern-light, the cipher in a forgotten manuscript, the chill that precedes a presence in an empty room—the world's permanent, unsettling capacity to withhold its truths.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin occultus (“hidden, secret”).
adj
- Secret; hidden from general knowledge; undetected.e.g.“occult blood loss; occult cancer”
- not visible, but chemically detectable.e.g.“occult blood in the urine”
- Related to the occult; pertaining to mysticism, magic, or astrology.e.g.“The concoctions contrived by Italians were particularly in clamant demand, while the occult sciences of astrology and alchemy lent their support[.]” — 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 190:
- Esoteric.
noun
- Supernatural affairs.e.g.“Due to my strong personal convictions / I wish to stress / That this record / In no way endorses / A belief in the occult” — 2016, Lemon Demon, “Lifetime Achievement Award”, in Spirit Phone:
verb
- To cover or hide from view.e.g.“The Earth occults the Moon during a lunar eclipse.”
- To dissimulate, conceal, or obfuscate.e.g.“[…]to do so would occult rather than illuminate the utterly unexpected and surprising character of his coming and of his reign.” — 2013 June 28, Abi Doukhan, Spectrum Magazine:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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