elusive

From Latin elusus past participle of eludo (“to parry a blow, to deceive”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪˈl(j)uː.sɪv/, /iˈl(j)uː.sɪv/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɪˈl(j)u.sɪv/, /iˈl(j)u.sɪv/

  • Audio (US)

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• Homophone: illusive

elusive (comparative more elusive, superlative most elusive)

1. Evading capture, comprehension or remembrance.

   The elusive criminal was arrested

2. Difficult to make precise.
   • 2010, Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease:

     A precise definition of diarrhea is elusive

   • 1910, Jack London, chapter 6, in Lost Face‎, archived from the original on 14 April 2011:

     Charley chased the elusive idea through all the nooks and crannies of his drowning consciousness.

3. Rarely seen.
   • 2002, Scott Roederer, Birding: Rocky Mountain National Park, page 93:

     While you're sniffing the trunks of the ponderosas to see if they're butterscotch, vanilla, strawberry, or the elusive chocolate variety, watch for Brown Creepers, an elusive variety of bird.

• elusively
• elusiveness

• elude

• IPA^(key): /e.luˈzi.ve/
• Rhymes: -ive
• Hyphenation: e‧lu‧sì‧ve

elusive

1. feminine plural of elusivo