Obfuscate

//ˈɒbfəskeɪt// adj, verb

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Obfuscated; darkened; obscured. obsolete

    "Also the vertues beynge in a cruell persone be nat only obfuscate or hyd : But also lyke wyse as norysshynge meates and drynkes in an sycke body"

Verb
  1. 1
    To make dark; to overshadow.
  2. 2
    make obscure or unclear wordnet
  3. 3
    To deliberately make more confusing in order to conceal the truth.

    "obfuscate facts"

  4. 4
    To alter code while preserving its behavior but concealing its structure and intent.

    "We need to obfuscate these classes before we ship the final release."

Etymology

Etymology 1

The adjective is first attested in 1487, in Middle English, the verb in 1536; either borrowed from Middle French obfusquer, offusquer, from Old French offusquer, or directly from Late Latin obfuscātus, offuscātus, the perfect passive participle of obfuscō, offuscō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Latin ob- + fuscō (“to darken”). Doublet of dusken (“to darken, make obscure”).

Etymology 2

The adjective is first attested in 1487, in Middle English, the verb in 1536; either borrowed from Middle French obfusquer, offusquer, from Old French offusquer, or directly from Late Latin obfuscātus, offuscātus, the perfect passive participle of obfuscō, offuscō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Latin ob- + fuscō (“to darken”). Doublet of dusken (“to darken, make obscure”).

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