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English Dictionary - With Multi-Lingual Search
| Word of the Week--"Obsolete" |
Definition--Obsolete- adj. outdated, no longer current; no longer in use or no longer useful.
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| Discussion-- Something is deemed obsolete when it has become so outdated that it is no longer useful. We hear this term used in the technical field all of the time. Computers become outdated after six months, and are nearly obsolete after a year. The Information Technology field is advancing so rapidly, in particular in the development of faster and better computers, that the machines are nearly obsolete by the time they reach the computer retailer. Of course, for someone who is only interested in everyday Internet use and word processing, a computer will remain useful longer than it will for a programmer or graphic artist.
Obsolete can also be used to refer to a kind fo fashion that is no longer current. For example, for a period of years bell-bottom jeans had become obsolete. Now that retro style is in, however, bell-bottom jeans are making a comeback. So, if you have some cloting that you consider old-fashioned or obsolete, think twice before you get rid of it. If you wait a few years they will probably come back in style.
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| Etymology--Obsolete- borrowed from Latin obsoletus, past participle of obsolescere, meaning to fall into disuse.
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Foreign Translations
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| Dutch: |
verouderd
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| French: |
dépassé(e)
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| German: |
veraltet
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| Italian: |
obsoleto
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| Spanish: |
obsoleto
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