Daily Almanac for
Nov 29, 2009
Search White Pages
Search: Infoplease Info search tips
Search: Biographies Bio search tips
Dictionary of Phrase and Fable—E

Esoteric

(Greek, those within). Exoteric, those without. The term originated with Pythagoras, who stood behind a curtain when he gave his lectures. Those who were allowed to attend the lectures, but not to see his face, he called his exoteric disciples; but those who were allowed to enter the veil, his esoteric.

Aristotle adopted the same terms, though he did not lecture behind a curtain. He called those who attended his evening lectures, which were of a popular character, his exoterics: and those who attended his more abstruse morning lectures, his esoterics.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
Espiet
Esmond
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

More on Esoteric from Infoplease:

    • Cite
    • Print
    • Bookmark

Related Content