Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day: "Obliterate"

Date: September 29, 2025
Host: Peter Sokolowski

Episode Overview

On this episode, Merriam-Webster spotlights the word "obliterate," delving into its definitions, history, evolution in English, and usage in different contexts. Listeners learn not only how to use the word, but also its etymological development and specialized meanings in both everyday and medical vocabulary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Definition and Pronunciation

• Spelling: O-B-L-I-T-E-R-A-T-E
• Part of Speech: Verb
• Meaning:
  • To destroy utterly so that nothing is left.
  • To remove all trace, indication, or significance.
  • Also, to eliminate from recognition or memory.
  • Medical: To fill or close a vessel, cavity, or passage, causing a bodily part to collapse or disappear.

"To obliterate something is to destroy it completely so that nothing is left—to destroy utterly all trace, indication, or significance of it. It can also mean to remove utterly from recognition or memory."
— Peter Sokolowski (00:27)

2. Literary Usage Example

• The host cites a sentence from lithub.com, illustrating how "obliterated" is used in a narrative about fire-damaged books:

"Most of the books were singed but readable, with titles outlined in charcoal and price conveniently obliterated. They cost nothing more than the effort to dig them out."
— Quoted from lithub.com (approx. 00:50)

3. Historical and Etymological Development

• Earliest Usage:
  • Traces back to the mid-16th century, initially relating to removing something from memory.
• Semantic Evolution:
  • Quickly adopted for blotting out or obscuring anything written.
  • Gradually, usage broadened to include removing anything from existence.
• Medical Application:
  • Adopted by physicians to describe a surgical act of filling or closing up a passage, so the part disappears.
• Philatelic Sense:
  • "To obliterate" can mean to cancel, specifically referring to postage stamps.

"The earliest evidence in our files traces obliterate back to the mid 16th century as a word removing something from memory. Soon after, English speakers began to use it for the specific act of blotting out or obscuring anything written, and eventually its meaning was generalized to removing anything from existence."
— Peter Sokolowski (01:00)

"Physicians began using obliterate for the surgical act of filling or closing up a vessel, cavity, or passage with tissue, which would then cause the bodily part to collapse or disappear."
— Peter Sokolowski (01:23)

4. Modern Relevance

• The word remains in active use, with multiple senses enduring today.

"Today, obliterate thrives in the English lexicon with the various senses it has acquired over the years."
— Peter Sokolowski (01:36)

5. Closing and Call to Action

• The host encourages listeners to visit merriam-webster.com for more word definitions and trending words.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Defining Moment:
  "Obliterate is a verb. To obliterate something is to destroy it completely so that nothing is left to destroy utterly all trace, indication, or significance of it."
  — Peter Sokolowski (00:27)

• Etymology Highlight:
  "The earliest evidence in our files traces obliterate back to the mid 16th century as a word removing something from memory."
  — Peter Sokolowski (01:00)

• Medical Sense:
  "Physicians began using obliterate for the surgical act of filling or closing up a vessel, cavity, or passage with tissue, which would then cause the bodily part to collapse or disappear."
  — Peter Sokolowski (01:23)

• Contemporary Usage:
  "Obliterate thrives in the English lexicon with the various senses it has acquired over the years, including its final stamp on the language—to cancel something, especially a postage stamp."
  — Peter Sokolowski (01:36)

Important Timestamps

• 00:27 — Word introduction, spelling, and primary definitions.
• 00:50 — Example sentence from literature.
• 01:00 — Historical usage in the English language.
• 01:23 — Medical application of the word.
• 01:36 — Modern meaning and continued relevance.

Summary

This episode provides a concise yet rich exploration of the word "obliterate." The host, Peter Sokolowski, guides listeners through its spelling, multifaceted meanings, literary example, and historical journey in the English language. Notably, he highlights how its usage has expanded from memory and writing to medical jargon and postage stamps. The episode serves both as a linguistic lesson and a celebration of how words evolve and persist in our daily lives.