English Explanatory Dictionary

obscure

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Dark, faint or indistinct.
  2. Hidden, out of sight or inconspicuous.
  3. Difficult to understand; abstruse.
  4. Not well-known.
  5. Unknown or uncertain; unclear.
verb
  1. To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious.
  2. To hide, put out of sight etc.
  3. To conceal oneself; to hide.

Pronunciation

/əbˈskjʊə(ɹ)/ /əbˈskjɔː(ɹ)/ /əbˈskjʊɹ/ /əbˈskjɝ/ en-us-obscure.ogg

Word forms

obscure obscurer more obscure obscurest most obscure obscures obscuring obscured

Etymology

From Middle English obscure, from Old French obscur, from Latin obscūrus (“dark, dusky, indistinct”), from ob- + *scūrus, from Proto-Italic *skoiros, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱeh₃-. Doublet of oscuro.

Synonyms

cimmerian dingy fuzzy ill-defined blear caliginous crepuscular dark darksome darkling dim dimpsy dull dusky fuliginous gloomy infernal leaden lightless mirksome murky murksome obscure shady somber sombrous stygian sunless swarthy tenebrose tenebrous twilightish umbrageous unilluminated hazy ill-marked indefinite indistinct indistinguishable muzzy undefined vague occluded secluded covered concealed dern hidden invisible inward latent nondisplayed obfuscated obfuscatory obscured occulted private recondite secret secreted

Antonyms

clear distinct alight illuminated inlighted lighted lighty lit lit up luminous acute keen obvious sharp vivid straightforward apparent bare displayed evident exposed certain indubitable manifest notorious plain unconcealed visible apprehensible limpid comprehensible explainable explicable explicatable fathomable graspable illuminable intelligible lucid pellucid perspicuous tangible understandable accessible open well-known bait fabled famed famous famoused iconic irrecondite known legendary mere notable noted noteworthy proverbial

Related words

clare-obscure clear-obscure obscuration obscurity

Derived words

obscurable obscure honeyeater obscurely obscurement obscureness obscurification obscurify obscurin obscurism obscurist reobscure semiobscure subobscure ultraobscure unobscurable unobscure
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