OBSCURE
*ob·scure
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French oscur, obscur, from Latin obscurus
Date: 15th century
1 A: dark , dim B: shrouded in or hidden by darkness c: not clearly seen or easily distinguished : faint (obscure markings)
2: not readily understood or clearly expressed; also: mysterious
3: relatively unknown: as a: remote , secluded (an obscure village) b: not prominent or famous (an obscure poet)
4: constituting the unstressed vowel \\ə\\ or having unstressed \\ə\\ as its value
— ob·scure·ly adverb
— ob·scure·ness noun
synonyms obscure , dark , vague , enigmatic , cryptic , ambiguous , equivocal mean not clearly understandable. obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge . dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion . vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration . enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality . cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning . ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation . equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading .