obscurant

English

Etymology

Entering English circa 1793–1799[1]: From German Obskurant[2] and French obscurant[2], from classical Latin obscūrant-[1][2], stem of obscūrāns[1][2][3], present participle of obscūrāre (“to obscure”)[1][2][3], from obscūrus (“dark”)[1].

Pronunciation

Adjective

obscurant (comparative more obscurant, superlative most obscurant)

  1. Acting or tending to confound, obfuscate, or obscure.
  2. Typical of or pertaining to obscurants; obscurantic; obscurantistic.

Noun

obscurant (plural obscurants)

  1. One who acts to confound or obfuscate; an obscurantist.
  2. A person who seeks to prevent or hinder enquiry and the advancement of knowledge or wisdom; an agent of endarkenment.
  3. An opposer of lucidity and transparency in the political and intellectual spheres.
Related terms

Translations

References
  1. “obscurant” listed by Dictionary.com Unabridged (v1·1)
  2. “obscurant, n. and adj.” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary, second edition / draft revision (March 2004)
  3. “obscurant” listed in Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1996, 1998)

Anagrams

Latin

Verb

obscūrant

  1. third-person plural present active indicative of obscūrō
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