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- Dictionaryobscure/əbˈskjʊə/
adjective
- 1. not discovered or known about; uncertain: "his origins and parentage are obscure" Similar
- 2. not clearly expressed or easily understood: "obscure references to Proust" Similar Opposite
verb
- 1. keep from being seen; conceal: "grey clouds obscure the sun" Similar Opposite
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Something that is obscure is difficult to understand or deal with, usually because it involves so many parts or details. The contracts are written in obscure language. Richard's statement was disgracefully obscure.
1. (of meaning) not clear or plain; ambiguous, vague, or uncertain. 2. not clear to the understanding; hard to perceive: obscure motives. 3. (of language, style, a speaker, etc.) not expressing the meaning clearly or plainly. 4. not readily seen, heard, etc.; indistinct; faint.
Definition of obscure adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
OBSCURE definition: 1. not known by many people: 2. difficult to understand: 3. to prevent something from being seen…. Learn more.
1. If something or someone is obscure, they are unknown, or are known by only a few people. [...] 2. Something that is obscure is difficult to understand or deal with, usually because it involves so many parts or details. [...] 3. If one thing obscures another, it prevents it from being seen or heard properly. [...] More. Conjugations of 'obscure'
There are 16 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word obscure, five of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
ambiguous, vague, or uncertain: an obscure message; obscure motives. not easily noticed: the obscure beginnings of a revolutionary movement. of little or no fame or distinction;
OBSCURE meaning: 1 : not well-known not known to most people; 2 : difficult to understand likely to be understood by only a few people
obscurer. Superlative: obscurest. Origin of Obscure. From Frenchobscur, from LatinobscÅ«rus(“dark, dusky, indistinct" ), possibly, from ob(“over" ) + -scurus(“covered" ), from root scu(“cover" ), seen also in scutum(“a shield" ); see scutum, sky. From Wiktionary.
obscure something to make it difficult to see, hear or understand something. The view was obscured by fog. We mustn't let these minor details obscure the main issue. A shadow fell across her face, obscuring her expression.
