Dictionary

obfuscate en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈɔbfəskæɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈɑbfəskeɪt/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
• /ˈɒbfəskæɪt/ (New-Zealand)
• /ˈɒbfəskeɪt/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
• /ˈɑbfjuskeɪt/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
• /ˈɒbfəskeɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• [ˈɔ̟bfəskæɪt] (New-Zealand)

Etymology

The adjective is first attested in 1487, in Middle English, the verb in 1536; either borrowed from Middle French obfusquer, offusquer, from Old French offusquer, or directly from Late Latin obfuscātus, offuscātus, the perfect passive participle of obfuscō, offuscō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Latin ob- + fuscō (“to darken”). Doublet of dusken (“to darken, make obscure”).

Meanings

1. (obsolete) Obfuscated; darkened; obscured.
   • Also the vertues beynge in a cruell persone be nat only obfuscate or hyd : But also lyke wyse as norysshynge meates and drynkes in an sycke body 1531, Thomas Elyot, The Boke Named the Governour […], London: […] Tho[mas] Bertheleti, →OCLC:

Forms

wikipedia: Middle English

obfuscate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈɔbfəskæɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈɑbfəskeɪt/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
• /ˈɒbfəskæɪt/ (New-Zealand)
• /ˈɒbfəskeɪt/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
• /ˈɑbfjuskeɪt/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
• /ˈɒbfəskeɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• [ˈɔ̟bfəskæɪt] (New-Zealand)

Etymology

The adjective is first attested in 1487, in Middle English, the verb in 1536; either borrowed from Middle French obfusquer, offusquer, from Old French offusquer, or directly from Late Latin obfuscātus, offuscātus, the perfect passive participle of obfuscō, offuscō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Latin ob- + fuscō (“to darken”). Doublet of dusken (“to darken, make obscure”).

Meanings

1. To make dark; to overshadow.
2. To deliberately make more confusing in order to conceal the truth.
   • obfuscate facts
   • When asked if Kelly could have been more transparent or truthful, that official wrote: “In this White House, it’s simply not in our DNA. Truthful and transparent is great, but we don’t even have a coherent strategy to obfuscate.” 2018 February 13, Anonymous White House Official, “White House reels as FBI director contradicts official claims about alleged abuser”, in Washington Post:
   • Before leaving the scene, the murderer set a fire in order to obfuscate any evidence of his identity.
   • Can weakness be really obfuscated?
3. To alter code while preserving its behavior but concealing its structure and intent.
   • We need to obfuscate these classes before we ship the final release.

Forms

Antonyms

explain (antonym(s) of “to deliberately make more confusing”) · simplify (antonym(s) of “to deliberately make more confusing”)

Deriveds

obfuscator · obfuscatable · unobfuscatable · deobfuscate

Relateds

obfuscation · obfuscatory · obfuscous

Synonyms

eclipse (to make dark) · confuse (to deliberately make more confusing) · overshadow (to make dark) · obscure (to deliberately make more confusing) · darken (to make dark) · muddle (to deliberately make more confusing)

Translations (81)

nl verduisteren (make dark) · ar يُعَتّم (make dark) · tr perde çekmek (make confusing) · ro încurca (make confusing) · no tåkelegge (make confusing) · ro zăpăci (make confusing) · ru сбить с то́лку (make confusing) · de obfuskieren (alter code) · bg обърквам (make confusing) · cmn 混淆 (make confusing) · pl zaciemniać (alter code) · es ofuscar (alter code) · pl zaciemniać (make dark) · fr occulter (alter code) · fi varjostaa (make dark) · sh zamrljati (make confusing) · tr karartmak (make dark) · ru запу́тать (make confusing) · ja 難読化する (alter code) · ru темни́ть (make confusing) · sh zatamniti (make dark) · pl zaciemniać (make confusing) · uk збивати з пантелику (make confusing) · no forkludre (make confusing) · cmn 搞亂 /搞乱 (make confusing) · de verfinstern (make dark) · mi whakapōhēhē (make confusing) · cmn 弄亂 /弄乱 (make confusing) · no obfuskere (alter code) · cmn 混淆 (alter code) · sh замрљати (make confusing) · pl zaciemnić (make confusing) · fr embrouiller (make confusing) · tr örtmek (make confusing) · mi whakakōpekapeka (make confusing) · ru затемни́ть (make dark) · sh са̀крити (make confusing) · sh sàkriti (make confusing) · pt ofuscar (make dark) · no forvirre (make confusing) · bg замъглявам (make dark) · fi pimentää (make dark) · uk затьмарювати (make dark) · mi whakapōuri (make dark) · de verschleiern (make confusing) · it ottenebrare (make confusing) · ru сбива́ть с то́лку (make confusing) · pt ofuscar (alter code) · uk затемнювати (make dark) · no overskygge (make dark) · ro întuneca (make dark) · bg смущавам (make confusing) · ro confunda (make confusing) · mi whakauriuri (make dark) · he סיבך (make confusing) · fi peittää (make confusing) · ro umbri (make dark) · es ofuscar (make dark) · pt ofuscar (make confusing) · ru запу́тывать (make confusing) · uk заплутувати (make confusing) · ru затемня́ть (make dark) · fr obscurcir (alter code) · he הקשה (make confusing) · de verdunkeln (make dark) · hu elsötétít (make dark) · tr gizlemek (make confusing) · hu elhomályosít (make dark) · hu összezavar (make confusing) · it ottenebrare (make dark) · cmn 弄暗 (make dark) · pl zaciemnić (make dark) · fr obscurcir (make dark) · de dunkel machen (make dark) · it offuscare (make dark) · he החשיך (make dark) · he בלבל (make confusing) · no formørke (make dark) · it offuscare (make confusing) · de verdunkeln (make confusing) · es ofuscar (make confusing)

wikipedia: Middle English