obituary

Where does the word "obituary" come from? It comes from Latin ob ire, passing through Latin and Medieval Latin before entering English (1700s).

Obituary’s story begins in Latin: ob ire meant “to go toward, to meet.” To go toward, to meet, from ob- (toward) and ire (to go). Within Latin, it grew into obitus by ancient. A going down, a death, from obire. From there it passed into Medieval Latin as obituarius by medieval. Relating to a death, from obitus. It reached English by 1700s as obituary. Settled as the English word for a published notice of someone's death. Today, obituary means a published notice of a person's death, usually with a short biography.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient ob ire "to go toward, to meet", to go toward, to meet, from ob- (toward) and ire (to go).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient obitus "a going down, a death", a going down, a death, from obire.
3. Stage 3 · Medieval Latin · medieval obituarius "relating to a death", relating to a death, from obitus.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1700s obituary "a published notice of someone's death, often with a biography", settled as the English word for a published notice of someone's death.