ORIGIN

The word “obscure” comes from the Latin word obscurus, meaning “dark or indistinct.” Interestingly, its original sense had more to do with physical darkness or a lack of light, rather than the more modern metaphorical meaning of being unknown or hidden. Over time, “obscure” evolved to describe things that are difficult to understand or hidden from the mainstream, making it a word that itself has transitioned from the literal to the figurative!