English edit

Etymology edit

Entering English circa 1793–1799[1]: From German Obskurant[2] and French obscurant,[2] from classical Latin obscūrant-,[1][2] stem of obscūrāns,[1][2][3] present participle of obscūrāre (to obscure),[1][2][3] from obscūrus (dark).[1]

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

obscurant (comparative more obscurant, superlative most obscurant)

  1. Acting or tending to confound, obfuscate, or obscure.
  2. Typical of or pertaining to obscurants; obscurantic; obscurantistic.

Noun edit

obscurant (plural obscurants)

  1. One who acts to confound or obfuscate; an obscurantist.
  2. A person who seeks to prevent or hinder enquiry and the advancement of knowledge or wisdom; an agent of endarkenment.
  3. An opposer of lucidity and transparency in the political and intellectual spheres.

Related terms edit

Translations edit

References edit

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 obscurant listed by Dictionary.com Unabridged (v1·1)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 obscurant, n. and adj. listed in the Oxford English Dictionary, second edition / draft revision (March 2004)
  3. 3.0 3.1 “obscurant” listed in Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1996, 1998)

Anagrams edit

Latin edit

Verb edit

obscūrant

  1. third-person plural present active indicative of obscūrō