Adjacent Words

Exoteric definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EXOT'ERIC, a. [Gr. exterior.] External; public; opposed to esoteric or secret. The exoteric doctrines of the ancient philosophers were those which were openly professed and taught. The esoteric were secret, or taught only to a few chosen disciples.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: suitable for the general public; "writings of an exoteric nature" [ant: esoteric]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Latin & Greek; Latin exotericus, from Greek ex?terikos, literally, external, from ex?ter? more outside, comparative of ex? outside — more at exo- Date: 1660 1. a. suitable to be imparted to the public <the exoteric doctrine> — compare esoteric b. belonging to the outer or less initiate circle 2. relating to the outside ; external • exoterically adverb

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Exoteric Ex`o*ter"ic, Exoterical Ex`o*ter"ic*ala. [L. exotericus, Gr. ? fr. ? out: cf. F. exot['e]rique. See Ex-] External; public; suitable to be imparted to the public; hence, capable of being readily or fully comprehended; -- opposed to esoteric, or secret. The foppery of an exoteric and esoteric doctrine. --De Quincey.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a.; (also exoterical) Public, open, external, superficial, addressed to the public, for the multitude, ad populum.