obscure

Obscure is a word with multiple related meanings in English. As an adjective, it denotes something not clearly expressed or understood: obscure ideas, obscure language. It can also describe something hidden from view, as in obscure recesses, or something little known or not prominent: an obscure author. As a verb, to obscure means to render something difficult to perceive, understand, or know; to conceal or hide. The sun may be obscured by clouds, or a fact may be obscured by misleading wording.

Etymology and history: The word comes from Latin obscurus meaning dark or shadowy, passing through Old French obscur into Middle English. The sense expansion from physical darkness to figurative darkness—unclear expression or obscurity of reputation—paralleled changes in many European languages.

Usage and nuance: In modern use, obscurity can describe both concealment and opacity. A passage may be obscure because of deliberately dense rhetoric, or because the subject matter is unfamiliar. The term can apply to people (an obscure writer) as well as to things (an obscure route). Obscure contrasts with clear, obvious, and lucid; related concepts include obscurity, to obscure (verb), and obfuscation, though obfuscation emphasizes deliberate confusion.

Overall, obscure is versatile and widely used to describe anything that resists clear identification or understanding.