Definition of obliterate

The word "obliterate" originated in the late 16th century from the Latin word "oblitus," which means "forgotten" or "obscured from sight." The act of making something forgotten or obscured from sight can be a deliberate intention, and hence, in the late 17th century, the word "obliterate" came into the English language with an extended meaning of "to destroy completely or utterly." The prefix "ob" in "obliterate" is derived from the Latin word "ob," which means "against," "opposite," or "over." When "ob" is added as a prefix to a verb, it often indicates intensive or complete actions. In the case of "obliterate," it denotes the action of making something entirely forgotten or eradicated. Thus, the word "obliterate" initially meant "to forget" or "to obscure from sight," but over time, it took on a more active meaning of "to destroy completely." Today, we use the word to denote the complete annihilation or eradication of something, such as an enemy force or a population's memory, among other things. As a word, "obliterate" has a strong, emphatic, and often ominous connotation that denotes an irreversible and complete destruction. It is commonly used in military and scientific contexts to depict radically negative consequences, where complete annihilation or eradication is desired.