adjective
elusive
ih-LOO-sihv
adjective
1
Hard to catch, find, pin down, or fully understand.
"The elusive snow leopard is rarely photographed in the wild."
"A satisfying answer to the question remained elusive."
2
Rarely seen or encountered.
"He's become something of an elusive figure since retiring from public life."
How to Use Elusive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSlippery in a figurative sense: something that keeps escaping your grasp, whether it's an animal, an idea, or a person.
Common pairings
elusive answer
remain elusive
elusive creature
Word Forms
more elusive comparative, most elusive superlative
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The _____ snow leopard is rarely photographed in the wild.
Etymology
From Latin elusus, the past participle of eludere, "to dodge or trick" — the same root as "elude".