Coteries intended only for the initiated (8)
I believe the answer is:
esoteric
'initiated' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'coteries intended only for' is the wordplay.
'coteries' anagrams to 'ESOTERIC'.
However, I'm not sure how this is indicated.
'the' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for esoteric that I've seen before include "hidden" , "'Abstruse, arcane (8)'" , "Highly specialised" , "Mysterious to all but a chosen few" , "of rarefied tastes" .)