obsoleten

Obsoleten is a rarely used adjective that designates something that has fallen out of use or become outdated. In modern English, the standard term is obsolete, while obsoleten is generally regarded as nonstandard, dialectal, or historical. The form may appear in certain older texts or in technical writings that aim to emphasize the transition toward obsolescence rather than merely describing a present state.

Etymology and status: The precise origin of obsoleten is unclear. It is typically treated as a nonstandard variant of obsolete, potentially influenced by the noun obsolescence and by adjectival suffix patterns found in some Germanic languages. Contemporary dictionaries seldom list it; it is largely confined to niche, historical, or regional usages.

Usage and context: Because it is not widely attested in modern usage, obsoleten appears mainly in discussions of language history, cataloging of obsolete items in archival materials, or fictional works that imitate archaic diction. Writers wishing to express the concept of becoming out of date often prefer obsolescent or obsolete.

See also: obsolescence, obsolete, obsolescent, deprecated.