obnubilate

verb

ob·​nu·​bi·​late äb-ˈnü-bə-ˌlāt How to pronounce obnubilate (audio)
-ˈnyü-
obnubilated; obnubilating
obnubilation noun

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The Political History of Obnubilate

The meaning of obnubilate becomes clearer when you know that its ancestors are the Latin terms ob- (meaning "in the way") and nubes ("cloud"). It's a high-flown sounding word, which may be why it often turns up in texts by and about politicians. This has been true for a long time. In fact, when the U.S. Constitution was up for ratification, 18th-century Pennsylvania statesman James Wilson used obnubilate to calm fears that the president would have too much power: "Our first executive magistrate is not obnubilated behind the mysterious obscurity of counsellors…. He is the dignified, but accountable magistrate of a free and great people."

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin obnūbilātus, past participle of obnūbilāre "to make dark or obscure, becloud, darken (the mind)," from ob- "toward, facing" + nūbilāre "to become cloudy or overcast," derivative of nūbilus "cloudy, overcast, dark, dim, confused," from nūbēs "cloud" + -ilus, denominative adjective suffix — more at ob-, nuance

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of obnubilate was in 1583

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near obnubilate

Cite this Entry

“Obnubilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obnubilate. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.

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