elusive

e·lu·sive  (-lsv, -zv)

adj.

1. Tending to elude capture, perception, comprehension, or memory: "an invisible cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist [himself]" David Kline.

2. Difficult to define or describe: "Failures are more finely etched in our minds than triumphs, and success is an elusive, if not mythic, goal in our demanding society" Hugh Drummond.

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[From Latin lsus, past participle of ldere, to elude; see elude.]

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e·lusive·ly adv.

e·lusive·ness n.

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elusive

Adjective

1. difficult to find or catch

2. difficult to remember or describe

elusiveness n

USAGE: See at illusory.

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	elusive - difficult to describe; "a haunting elusive odor" unidentifiable - impossible to identify
	2.	elusive - skillful at eluding capture; "a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist"- David Kline artful - marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft; "the artful dodger"; "an artful choice of metaphors"
	3.	elusive - difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze; "his whole attitude had undergone a subtle change"; "a subtle difference"; "that elusive thing the soul" subtle impalpable - imperceptible to the senses or the mind; "an impalpable cloud"; "impalpable shadows"; "impalpable distinctions"; "as impalpable as a dream"
	4.	elusive - making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe; "a baffling problem"; "I faced the knotty problem of what to have for breakfast"; "a problematic situation at home" baffling, knotty, problematic, problematical, tough difficult, hard - not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure; "a difficult task"; "nesting places on the cliffs are difficult of access"; "difficult times"; "why is it so hard for you to keep a secret?"

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elusive

adjective 1. difficult to catch, tricky, slippery, difficult to find, evasive, shifty

adjective 2. indefinable, puzzling, fleeting, subtle, baffling, indefinite, transient, intangible, indescribable, transitory, indistinct

USAGE The spelling of elusive, as in a shy, elusive character, should be noted. This adjective derives from the verb elude, and should not be confused with the rare word illusive meaning `not real' or `based on illusion'.

Translations

elusive [ɪˈluːsɪv] adj → escurridizo; [answer] → difícil de encontrar;

he is very elusive → no es fácil encontrarlo

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elusive [ɪˈluːsɪv] adj → insaisissable; [answer] → évasif/ive

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elusive [ɪˈluːsɪv] elude adj → schwer zu fangen;

(quality) → unerreichbar;

he's very elusive elude → er ist sehr schwer zu erreichen

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elusive [ɪˈluːsɪv] adj → elusivo/a; [answer] → evasivo/a;

he is very elusive → è proprio inafferrabile or irraggiungibile