Skip to content

obfuscate

verb

  1. to make obscure
L307754 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈɒbfəskeɪt/ / /ˈɑbfəskeɪt/ / /ˈɑbfjuskeɪt/

adj

Etymology: 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”).

  1. Obfuscated; darkened; obscured.

    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

Etymology: 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”).

  1. To make dark; to overshadow.
  2. To deliberately make more confusing in order to conceal the truth.

    obfuscate facts

    Can weakness be really obfuscated?

  3. 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.