First Known Use: 1579
Dictionary
1obsolete
adjective ob·so·lete \ˌäb-sə-ˈlēt, ˈäb-sə-ˌ\
: no longer used because something newer exists : replaced by something newer
: no longer used by anyone
Full Definition of OBSOLETE
1
a : no longer in use or no longer useful <an obsolete word> b : of a kind or style no longer current : old-fashioned <an obsolete technology>
2
of a plant or animal part : indistinct or imperfect as compared with a corresponding part in related organisms : vestigial
— ob·so·lete·ly adverb
— ob·so·lete·ness noun
See obsolete defined for English-language learners
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Examples of OBSOLETE
- It may not be welcome news in her home state of Pennsylvania, but chemist Cynthia Kuper could help make steel obsolete. Experimenting with carbon nanotubes, structures a few atoms wide but 100 times stronger and much lighter than steel, Kuper calls her work an “amusement park discovery.” —Joanna Chung, Newsweek, 23 Sept. 2002
- He exercised a right so rare, at this the fag-end of the century, as to be practically obsolete. The most fundamental right of all. The right to be the good guy. —Zadie Smith, White Teeth, 2000
- I never had parents, really. My mom was gone, my dad was at work or with his girlfriends, we had baby-sitters. My parents were obsolete. —Jonathan Kozol, Voices From the Future, 1993
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Origin of OBSOLETE
Latin obsoletus, from past participle of obsolescere to grow old, become disused, perhaps from ob- toward + solēre to be accustomed
Related to OBSOLETE
- Synonyms
- antiquated, archaic, dated, démodé, demoded, fossilized, kaput (also kaputt), medieval (also mediaeval), moribund, mossy, moth-eaten, neolithic, Noachian, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé, prehistoric (also prehistorical), rusty, Stone Age, superannuated
Synonym Discussion of OBSOLETE
old, ancient, venerable, antique, antiquated, archaic, obsolete mean having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past. old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence <old houses> <an old sweater of mine>. ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past <ancient accounts of dragons>. venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age <the family's venerable patriarch>. antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time <collected antique Chippendale furniture>. antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time <antiquated teaching methods>. archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time <the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period>. obsolete may apply to something regarded as no longer acceptable or useful even though it is still in existence <a computer that makes earlier models obsolete>.
Rhymes with OBSOLETE
aquavit, at one's feet, balance sheet, biathlete, bittersweet, booster seat, bucket seat, catbird seat, cellulite, cookie sheet, corps d'elite, countryseat, county seat, crystal pleat, decathlete, drag one's feet, driver's seat, easy street, exegete, incomplete, indiscreet, latent heat, letter sheet, lorikeet, make ends meet, marguerite, Masorete, meadowsweet, meet and greet, miss a beat, Nayarit, off one's feet, on one's feet, on the street, overeat, overheat, Paraclete, parakeet, pentathlete, prickly heat, rumble seat, saddle seat, scandal sheet, self-conceit, semisweet, shredded wheat, sliding seat, spirochete, superheat, to one's feet, triathlete, trick or treat, two-way street, undertreat, up one's street, winding-sheet, window seat
2obsolete
verb ob·so·lete \ˌäb-sə-ˈlēt, ˈäb-sə-ˌ\
ob·so·let·edob·so·let·ing
Definition of OBSOLETE
transitive verb
: to make (something) old-fashioned or no longer useful : make obsolete
Examples of OBSOLETE
- While many … do describe various small, quick-loading 35mm film cartridges, modern technology has obsoleted these. —Herbert Keppler, Popular Photography, November 1993
- … older cpu's whose speed and efficiency never were fully tapped before they were effectively obsoleted by their manufacturers … —Edith Myers, Datamation, November 1977
- For radio itself deliberately obsoletes today what it built yesterday. —David Sarnoff, Television, 1936
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Origin of OBSOLETE
(see 1obsolete)
First Known Use: 1640
OBSOLETENESS Defined for Kids
obsolete
adjective ob·so·lete \ˌäb-sə-ˈlēt\
Definition of OBSOLETE for Kids
: no longer in use : out-of-date <The machinery is now obsolete.>
Medical Dictionary
obsolete
adjective ob·so·lete \ˌäb-sə-ˈlēt, ˈäb-sə-ˌ\
Medical Definition of OBSOLETE
: no longer active or distinct <obsolete cases of infection> <obsolete pulmonary lesions>
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Next Word in the Dictionary: obsoletionPrevious Word in the Dictionary: obsolescentAll Words Near: obsolete
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