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Recondite

(pronounced rek-un-dyt or rih-kon-dyt; “on” as in “don” and not as in “dawn”)  adjective

Definition

1. beyond the comprehension of someone with ordinary mind or knowledge; difficult to fathom or understand; demanding deep study; abstruse.  2. dealing with a subject that is little known, difficult, or abstruse.  3. obscure; hidden; concealed.

Main Example

• The legislative process in the U.S. Senate is so complex that it seems to be beyond the understanding and appreciation of most Americans. In fact, when prominent Democrat David Obey made his surprise announcement last month that he will not seek reelection to the House, one of the biggest frustrations he cited was his inability to explain to constituents why legislation passed by the House would get stuck for an eternity in the Senate--a body presently run by his own party! In this author’s opinion, Congress’s extremely low polling numbers may have a lot to do with the Senate’s recondite and bizarre rules.

Workplace Examples

• My uncle has written several books, but they are not for people like you and me--they deal with subjects that are recondite and very hard to understand for the average person. At a minimum, one needs knowledge of highly advanced math to understand them.
• If you want to know why turkey is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving feast, ask John. He seems to be well versed with all the recondite facts about the origins of just about every American custom.

Other Examples

• speaking about his book “The Articulate Professional,” this author saying: “According to most users, the book’s most distinguishing quality is that the featured terms are not some recondite vocabulary words such as those appearing in a Spelling Bee contest, but the vivid and evocative words used by America’s most articulate to impact their audiences.” [For sample pages and other information about the latest edition, click here: www.verbalenergy.com/articulatepro.html]
• a manager admonishing her employee, saying: “For heaven’s sake, the next time you put a question to the CEO during one of his quarterly employee meetings, don’t make the question so recondite and complicated. Keep it simple and straightforward, something that everyone in the room can easily comprehend.”
• as was the case with the legendary Peter Lynch, prodigiously successful stock market investor Warren Buffet staying away from businesses he finds to be recondite and hard to understand
• a recondite book; a recondite problem; the recondite world of derivatives which, apparently, were at the heart of the 2007-2009 financial crisis
• presidential historians such as Doris Kearns Goodwin able to recite some of the most recondite details about our past presidents at a moment’s notice

© 2010 V.J. Singal
No part of this may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the author.