obscurity
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English obscurite, obscuryte, from Middle French obscurité and its etymon Latin obscūritās. By surface analysis, obscure + -ity.
Pronunciation edit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /əbˈskjʊəɹɪti/, /əbˈskjɔːɹɪti/
- (General American) IPA(key): /əbˈskjʊɹɪti/, /əbˈskjɝɪti/
Audio (US) (file) - Hyphenation: ob‧scur‧ity
Noun edit
obscurity (countable and uncountable, plural obscurities)
- (literary) Darkness; the absence of light.
- 1907, Harold Bindloss, chapter 6, in The Dust of Conflict:
- The night was considerably clearer than anybody on board her desired when the schooner Ventura headed for the land. It rose in places, black and sharp against the velvety indigo, over her dipping bow, though most of the low littoral was wrapped in obscurity.
- 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 24”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:
- The state of being unknown; a thing that is unknown.
- 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 5, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:
- The departure was not unduly prolonged. […] Within the door Mrs. Spoker hastily imparted to Mrs. Love a few final sentiments […] ; a deep, guttural instigation to the horse; and the wheels of the waggonette crunched heavily away into obscurity.
- The quality of being difficult to understand; a thing that is difficult to understand.
Synonyms edit
- (the state of being unknown): unknownness
Antonyms edit
- (antonym(s) of "the state of being known"): fame
- (antonym(s) of "the state of being clear"): clarity
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
darkness; the absence of light
|
The state of being unknown; a thing that is unknown
|
The quality of being difficult to understand; a thing that is difficult to understand
|