obsolete

views updated

ob·so·lete / ˌäbsəˈlēt/ • adj. 1. no longer produced or used; out of date: the disposal of old and obsolete machinery the phrase was obsolete after 1625.2. Biol. (of a part or characteristic of an organism) less developed than formerly or in a related species; rudimentary; vestigial.• v. [tr.] cause (a product or idea) to be or become obsolete by replacing it with something new: we're trying to stimulate the business by obsoleting last year's designs.DERIVATIVES: ob·so·lete·ly adv.ob·so·lete·ness n.ob·so·let·ism / -ˈlēˌtizəm/ n.

More From encyclopedia.com