obstruo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɔp.stru.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɔb.stru.o]^[1]

Forms

obstruō (present infinitive obstruere, perfect active obstrūxī, supine obstrūctum); third conjugation^[1] It is also spelled opstruō.^[2]

Etymology

It is from ob- “against, in the way” and struō “to pile up, build”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of blocking light and choking the faculties.^[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to build up as a barrier, as in Livy, and in Caesar to block a road or entrance.^[2] In Cicero it meant to block the light of a building and to choke the faculties, and in Seneca to stop the ears.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to close, stop up, hinder.^[5] It survives in Italian ostruire, French obstruer and Spanish obstruir, and its participle obstrūctus gave English obstruct in the 1610s.^[1][3]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of blocking light.^[2][4]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of blocking a road.^[2][4]
• 1610s – English obstruct is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To build as a barrier.^[2]
2. To block, obstruct.^[2]
3. To shut out the light of.^[2]
4. To stop (the ears); to choke.^[2]

Word family

• obstrūctiō

Related words

• struō
• English obstruct

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson