Difficult to understand or known only by a few people.
Examples:
Her arcane knowledge of plant remedies was renowned in the village.The professor's lectures were filled with arcane references to ancient texts.He found the old manuscript's arcane symbols both intriguing and intimidating.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Archaic
/ɑː'keɪɪk/
Something that is very old and no longer used in everyday life.
Examples:
His archaic mindset clashed with modern trends.The manuscript was full of archaic language and phrases.Her dress had an archaic charm from another era.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
Arcane often has a sense of mystery or secrecy, as if something is hidden or only known to a select few.
Archaic refers to something that is old-fashioned or belongs to an earlier period in time.
If something is arcane, its likely to be a secret or not understood by many, whereas archaic' relates to something that is simply old or no longer in common use.
A magic spell or a ritual that few understand could be described as arcane, while an old word that isnt used in modern language might be archaic.'
Remember, arcane is surrounded by aura of mystery, while archaic is covered by a layer of age.