obstruse

English

Etymology

An alteration of abstruse.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əbˈstɹuːs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /əbˈstɹus/, /ɑb-/
• Rhymes: -uːs
• Hyphenation: obs‧truse

Adjective

obstruse (comparative obstruser or more obstruse, superlative obstrusest or most obstruse)

1. (uncommon, dated) Abstruse.
   • 1775, “The Tutor”, in A Present for a Son, London, page 82:

     And what great advances and mighty progress are daily made in finding out obstruse secrets […]

   • 1877, S. S. Saul, The English Language: Suggestions for Its Correct and Fluent Use Without Technical Grammar, San Leandro, California, page 8:

     It is very clear that some readily understood method of acquiring the ability to use the mother tongue correctly, to supplant the present obstruse, hard to understand method, is eagerly sought by many […]

   • 1992 [1950], Martin Luther King Jr., “The Chief Characteristics and Doctrines of Mahayana Buddhism”, in The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Vol. I, University of California Press, page 326:

     It has its obstruse philosophical appeal for the thinker, as was noticed in its metaphysical system […]

References

• “obstruse, adj.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.