Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “obscur” come from?

obscur (French) comes from Middle French obscur, from Old French oscur, from Latin obscūrus, from Latin ob-, from Latin obolus, from Ancient Greek ὀβολός, from Ancient Greek ὀβελός, from Ancient Greek βέλος — to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing.

obscur (French): obscure

Definitions

  1. obscure

Ancestry of “obscur”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchobscurdark
2Old Frenchoscurdark; lacking light; hidden from view; difficult...
3Latinobscūrus—
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

Words derived from “obscur”

  • obscurément
  • obscure
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- →