adj.
Pronunciation: äb- ' tüs, ə b-, - ' tyüs
Function: adjective
Inflected Form: ob · tus · er ; -est
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin obtusus blunt, dull, from past participle of obtundere to beat against, blunt, from ob- against + tundere to beat ― more at OB- , CONTUSION
Date: 15th century
1 a : not pointed or acute : BLUNT b (1) of an angle : exceeding 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees (2) : having an obtuse angle <an obtuse triangle> ― see TRIANGLE illustration c of a leaf : rounded at the free end
2 a : lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect : INSENSITIVE , STUPID b : difficult to comprehend : not clear or precise in thought or expression
synonyms see DULL
– ob · tuse · ly adverb
– ob · tuse · ness noun