obelus

[ ob-uh-luhs ]

noun

, plural ob·e·li [ob, -, uh, -lahy].

1. a mark (− or ÷) used in ancient manuscripts to point out spurious, corrupt, doubtful, or superfluous words or passages.

obelus

/ ˈɒbɪləs /

noun

1. a mark (— or ÷) used in editions of ancient documents to indicate spurious words or passages
2. another name for dagger

Word History and Origins

Origin of obelus¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin < Greek obelós spit, pointed pillar

Word History and Origins

Origin of obelus¹

C14: via Late Latin from Greek obelos spit

Example Sentences

It makes of satire a frozen obelus, as dependent upon divisiveness as the president himself.

From New York Times

The passage is noted by an asterisk or obelus or other mark in Codd.

From Project Gutenberg

It Harklean. represents in the main the text of the later Greek MSS., but it has important textual notes, and has adopted a system of asterisks and obeli from the Hexaplar LXX.

From Project Gutenberg

To obtain a thoroughly correct text, he marked with an obelus the lines he considered spurious; other signs were used by him to indicate notes, varieties of reading, repetitions and interpolations.

From Project Gutenberg

In his peculiar notation, Asides are marked by inverted commas, and obvious stage business is indicated by an obelus.

From Project Gutenberg