oblivion

English

Etymology

From Middle English oblivion, from Anglo-Norman oblivion, from Latin oblīviō (“forgetfulness”), from oblivisci (“to forget”).

Pronunciation
  • enPR: əblĭvʹēən, IPA(key): /əˈblɪviːən/
  • Audio (US)(file)
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Noun

oblivion (usually uncountable, plural oblivions)

  1. The state of forgetting completely, of being oblivious, unconscious, unaware, as when sleeping, drunk, or dead.
    He regularly drank himself into oblivion.
    Only the oblivion of sleep can heal the greatest traumas.
  2. The state of being completely forgotten, of being reduced to a state of non-existence, extinction, or nothingness, including through war and destruction. (Figuratively) for an area like hell, a wasteland.
    Due to modern technology, many more people and much more information will not slip into oblivion, contrary to what happened throughout history until now.
    They tried to bomb them into oblivion.
    I will cast them into oblivion!
  3. A form of purgatory.
  4. (obsolete) Amnesty.

Synonyms

Translations
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Verb

oblivion (third-person singular simple present oblivions, present participle oblivioning, simple past and past participle oblivioned)

  1. (transitive) To consign to oblivion; to efface utterly.

Further reading
  • oblivion in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • oblivion in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
  • oblivion at OneLook Dictionary Search

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman oblivion, from Latin oblīviō.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ɔbˈliviun/, /ɔbˈliːviun/

Noun

oblivion (uncountable) (Late Middle English)

  1. oblivion (state of forgetting completely)
  2. oblivion (state of being forgotten)

Descendants
  • English: oblivion

References

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin oblīviō.

Noun

oblivion f (oblique plural oblivions, nominative singular oblivion, nominative plural oblivions)

  1. forgetfulness

Descendants

References
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