nihil obstat

English

Etymology

From Latin nihil (“nothing”) + obstat (“hinders”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɪhɪl ˈɒbstæt/

Noun

nihil obstat (plural nihil obstats)

1. A declaration of no objection; (specifically) a declaration used by the Catholic Church to indicate a book, initiative, or appointment to an office has been found to not breach religious or moral norms.

Latin

Phrase

nihil obstat

1. (Roman Catholicism) This book has been found not to have breached religious or moral norms.

Spanish

Noun

nihil obstat m (uncountable)

1. nihil obstat

Further reading

• “nihil obstat”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 23rd edition, Royal Spanish Academy, 2014 October 16