obelize

O1B3E1L1I1Z10E1

verb

To mark (a written or printed passage) with an obelus; to judge as spurious or doubtful.

OriginAncient Greek ὀβελίζειν →
First used 17th c.Scrabble 18
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Meanings

verbobelize (third-person singular simple present obelizes, present participle obelizing, simple past and past participle obelized)

present singular third person obelizes · participle present obelizing · participle past obelized · past obelized · alternative obelise

  1. To mark (a written or printed passage) with an obelus; to judge as spurious or doubtful.First known use 17th c.

    All modern classicists like to display due caution before coming to a conclusion and will reluctantly obelise any words in a manuscript that resist obvious emendation before deciding that on balance one version is better than another.

    2015, James Davidson, “Laugh as long as you can”, in London Review of Books, volume 37, number 14

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὀβελίζειν
  2. Englishobelize

From Hellenic Ancient Greek ὀβελίζειν (obelízein), from ὀβελός (obelós, “obelus”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

obelize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obelize

MLA

“obelize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obelize. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “obelize,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obelize.

Source: obelize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.