Elusive
Difficult to catch, grasp, or define; hard to understand or achieve.
adjectiveElusive
Difficult to catch, grasp, or define; hard to understand or achieve.
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine a shy, fox-like creature in a dense, foggy forest that always slips just beyond your reach. No matter how carefully you follow, it vanishes at the last moment, leaving only a whisper and a rustle in the leaves.
Sounds Like
ih-LOO-siv
Looks Like
Looks like elude + ive; visually resembles the root elude (to escape).
Remember This
From Latin eludere, meaning to escape or evade (e- out + ludere 'to play'). Related words: elude (verb) and elusiveness (noun).
Other Forms
Note
Elusive describes things that are hard to catch or understand. Do not confuse with illusive or illusory, which relate to illusion or deception. Also used for goals or concepts that are difficult to pin down.