Not So Obscure Words Beginning With "Obs" Quiz

Answer: Observatory

The University of Tokyo Atacama OBSERVATORY is situated atop a mountaintop in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile. Established in 2009, it contains an optical-infrared telescope capable of exploring deep into the night sky.

Answer: Obsidian

OBSIDIAN is found on every continent and is usually black or dark in color. Obsidian is primarily composed of Silicon Dioxide and is considered to be felsic in nature. Early man found obsidian a great material for the manufacture of knives and arrow-heads.

Answer: Obsession

The perfume "Obsession" was a major hit for the Calvin Klein company and it immediately became the "scent" of the 1980s. Famous models such as Kate Moss were used to present the product as a provocative and sensual accoutrement for any woman's scent cupboard.

Answer: Obsolete

The "walkman" was born in 1978 and the "discman" in 1984. Both continue to be trademarks of the SONY company and revolutionized the way ordinary people listened to music. Sadly, both products went the way of the "Pony Express," with technology rendering the products OBSOLETE, or out of date.

Answer: Obstacles

OBSTACLES have been used in many different contexts. Individuals may have to overcome economic, ecological, architectural, political, technological, biopsychological or social obstacles in every-day life. The word OBSTACLE comes from the Latin word "obstare" which means to block or hinder.

Answer: Obstetrician

An OBSTETRICIAN is a medical professional that cares for pregnant women throughout pregnancy and the birthing process. Many obstetricians also train as gynecologists in order to be able to provide medical advice and treatment in working with all areas of the female reproductive system.

Answer: Obstruction

Dr. Henry Heimlich is the controversial American physician largely credited with the invention of abdominal thrusts (Heimlich Maneuver) in order to assist a person who is choking on a foreign object which is lodged in the airway, providing an OBSTRUCTION to breathing). In 2006, the American Red Cross changed the accepted name of this technique from the "Heimlich Maneuver" to "Abdominal Thrusts".

Answer: Obscenity

The word OBSCENITY has come to mean any act or word that offends societal norms and is viewed by mainstream society as being disgusting, taboo, indecent, or profane. Words and pictures conveying explicit sexual undertones are the most common and open forms of OBSCENITY.

Answer: Obstupefy

OBSTUPEFY is actually a synonym for the word "stupefy" which means to make dull or stupid, to deprive of sense, or to blunt the ability to perceive or understand something.

Answer: Obscure

A fitting way to end with a word that means to obscure, make dim, to hide, or to make less visible or intelligible. Other words derived from "OBSCURE" include obscurity, obscurant, obscurantism, obscurantist, and obscuration.