Arcane: Definition & Meaning for the SAT
⚡️ ARCANE most nearly means: (A) primitive; (B) curved; (C) mysterious; (D) illegal. 👉 Answer + examples, pronunciation, and explanation inside.
📣 TL;DR: Arcane means understood by very few people; mysterious or secret. It's actually similar to the word esoteric, which I'll define later this month.
ℹ️ Part of Speech of Arcane
arcane is an ADJECTIVE.
🗣️ Pronunciation of Arcane
arcane is pronounced /ɑrˈkeɪn/ or ar-KAYN.
📚️ Definition of Arcane
Known or understood by very few people; requiring secret or specialized knowledge that is mysterious, obscure, or esoteric in nature. Example: arcane knowledge.
📰 Examples of Arcane
Here are some examples of the word arcane:
The Bitcoin software engineer tried to explain the arcane details of blockchain technology to me, but most of it was over my head.
The 1980s computer manual was filled with arcane DOS commands that looked like hieroglyphics to the point-and-clickers.
On how science can seem arcane: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Arthur C. Clarke in 1962. 🔮
✅ Quiz answer
Answer to the question above:
C, mysterious. Explanations: A doesn't work; that would be archaic or primordial. B could be arched or curved, but that's unrelated to arcane. D doesn't work; illegal would be illicit or unlawful.