noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɒbɪləs/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɒbləs/
Received-Pronunciation:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈɑbələs/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɒbɪlaɪ/
General-American:/ˈɑbəˌlaɪ/
1
noun
Meaning 1
A symbol resembling a horizontal line (–), sometimes together with one or two dots (for example, ⨪ or ÷), which was used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant; an obelisk.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
Topics: media, publishing, typography
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A dagger symbol (†), which is used in printed matter as a reference mark to refer the reader to a footnote, marginal note, etc.; beside a person's name to indicate that the person is deceased; or beside a date to indicate that it is a person's death date; an obelisk.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: media, publishing, typography
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English obelus, obelo, from Old English obelus, from Late Latin obelus (“critical mark”), from Koine Greek ὀβελός (obelós, “critical mark”), Ancient Greek ὀβελός (obelós, “rod, spit; obelisk; critical mark”). The further etymology is uncertain; a derivation from βέλος (bélos, “arrow, dart, missile”) (from Proto-Indo-European *gwelH- (“to pierce; to reach; to throw; to hit by throwing”)) has been suggested, but the initial vowel remains unexplained. Compare obelisk. The plural form obeli is derived from Late Latin obeli, from Ancient Greek ὀβελοί (obeloí).
Across languages
Translations
19 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
օբելիուս
(ōbelius)
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Bulgarian:
обело́с
(obelós)
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Bulgarian:
обе́л
(obél)
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Chinese Mandarin:
除號 /除号
(chúhào)
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Esperanto:
obeluso
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
French:
obélus
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
French:
obèle
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
German:
Obelos
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Ancient Greek:
ὀβελός
(obelós)
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Italian:
obelo
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Italian:
obello
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Korean:
나눗셈기호
(nanutsemgiho)
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Latin:
obelus
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Latin:
verū
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Russian:
о́белюс
(óbeljus)
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Russian:
обел
(obel)
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Spanish:
obelo
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Ukrainian:
о́белюс
(óbeljus)
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
Ukrainian:
обел
(obel)
— symbol used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant
