From Latin abstrusus, meaning concealed or hidden away.
From Latin abstrusus, meaning concealed or hidden away.
What does abstruse mean?
Abstruse describes something hard to understand because it is complex or obscure.
When is abstruse used?
It often describes theories, arguments, technical writing, or explanations.
How does abstruse differ from obscure?
Obscure can mean little known or unclear. Abstruse stresses difficulty in understanding complex ideas.
How is abstruse used in a sentence?
The manual used such abstruse language that the team asked for a simpler version.
Is abstruse formal?
Yes. It is a formal adjective and can imply that an explanation is needlessly difficult.