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Where does the word "obstruct" come from? It comes from Latin obstruere, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).
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Where does the word "obstruct" come from? It comes from Latin obstruere, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).
Obstruct’s story begins in Latin: obstruere meant “to build against, to block.” To build against, to block, from ob- (against) and struere (to build). It reached English by 1500s as obstruct. Settled as the English word for blocking a path or process. Today, obstruct means to block or impede a path, process, or view.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient obstruere "to build against, to block", to build against, to block, from ob- (against) and struere (to build).
- Stage 2 · English · 1500s obstruct "to block a path, process, or view", settled as the English word for blocking a path or process.