| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| arcanum |
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| SYLLABICATION: | ar·ca·num |
| PRONUNCIATION: |  är-k  n m |
| NOUN: | Inflected forms: pl. ar·ca·na (-n) or ar·ca·nums
1. A deep secret; a mystery. 2. often arcana Specialized knowledge or detail that is mysterious to the average person: “knows the arcana of police procedure and the intricacies of litigation” (George F. Will). 3. A secret essence or remedy; an elixir. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Latin arcnum, from neuter of arcnus, secret. See arcane.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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