Obliterable Meaning: Definition and Examples

Literature

• In modern literature, the term can symbolize memories or experiences that characters attempt to erase.
• Some authors use the concept of obliteration to explore themes of loss and the desire to forget the past.
• Famous dystopian novels often present 'obliterable' ideas as a means of controlling society, suggesting that erasing history is dangerous.

Science

• In environmental science, 'obliterable' processes can refer to species or habitats that can be completely wiped out by human activity.
• The concept can also apply to certain diseases that are eradicated through vaccines, making them obliterable in populations.
• In physics, the idea of obliterability ties into concepts of matter and antimatter, where particles can be annihilated completely.

Psychology

• 'Obliterable' memories can refer to traumatic experiences that individuals wish to erase from their minds.
• Certain therapies aim to help patients manage or 'obliterate' painful memories to aid in healing.
• The human brain has mechanisms that naturally erode memories over time, suggesting that not all memories are permanent.

Pop Culture

• In popular video games, players often encounter scenarios where locations or items are obliterable, influencing gameplay strategy.
• Movies featuring apocalyptic themes often depict civilizations and cultures that become obliterable due to impending disasters.
• Comics and graphic novels frequently explore the idea of characters having the power to obliterate obstacles or threats in their paths, emphasizing themes of triumph.

Main points about word origin

• 'Obliterable' derives from the Latin word 'obliterare,' meaning 'to wipe out' or 'to erase.'
• The prefix 'ob-' suggests 'against' or 'completely,' intensifying the meaning of destruction.
• The suffix '-able' indicates capability, making 'obliterable' mean 'able to be erased.'

The term 'obliterable' is derived from the Latin word 'obliterare', which means 'to efface' or 'to blot out'. This word combines 'ob-', a prefix meaning 'against' or 'over', with 'literare', which implies 'to write'. Since the 15th century, the word has evolved in English to describe the concept of complete destruction or erasure of physical or metaphorical elements. It is commonly used in both legal and informal contexts where the idea of removing any evidence or trace of something is applicable. The notion of obliteration resonates in various domains, from literature describing psychological states of being completely forgotten to scientific discussions about data loss.