Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “obtuseness” come from?

Obtuseness comes from Middle English -nesse combined with Latin obtusus, from obtundere meaning "to beat against," ultimately derived from Greek ὀβολός.

obtuseness (English): The quality of being obtuse; Something that is...

Definitions

  1. The quality of being obtuse; Something that is...

Ancestry of “obtuseness”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishobtuseBlunt; not sharp, pointed, or acute in form;...
2Latinobtususblunt, dull, obtuse
3LatinobtundoI strike, beat or batter; I blunt; I deafen
4Latinob-towards; against
5Latinobolusobolus
6Ancient Greekὀβολόςobol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and...
7Ancient Greekὀβελόςa spit, rod; a horizontal line
8Ancient Greekβέλοςmissile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly...
9Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷélHos—
10Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- →