nihil obstat

[ nahy-hil -ob-stat, nee- ]

/ ˈnaɪ hɪl ˈɒb stæt, ˈni- /

Save This Word!

noun Roman Catholic Church.

permission to publish a book, granted by an official censor who, upon examining it, has certified that it contains nothing contrary to faith or morals.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!

In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”

Question 1 of 7

The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.

affect

effect

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of nihil obstat

1885–90; <Latin: literally, nothing stands in the way

Words nearby nihil obstat

NIHE, nihil, nihilism, nihilistic, nihility, nihil obstat, Nihon, nihonium, NII, Niigata, Niihau

How to use nihil obstat in a sentence

Why in the world have I waited till the day your Libra gets its nihil obstat from Christopher Lemondrop* to send you a note.
William Gaddis’s Letter of Praise to Don DeLillo|William Gaddis|March 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
From the principle ex nihilo nihil fit he concluded that nothing could pass from non-existence to existence.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume I|John Lord
Over the door were words of good omen, Nihil intret mal, for example, or a charm against fire.
The Private Life of the Romans|Harold Whetstone Johnston
But I have no ambition; at least, if any, it would be 'aut Cæsar aut nihil.'
My Recollections of Lord Byron|Teresa Guiccioli

Turner in 1538 says, "ligustrum arbor est non herba ut literatorū vulgus credit; nihil que minus est quam a Prymerose."
The plant-lore and garden-craft of Shakespeare|Henry Nicholson Ellacombe
Nihil est enim ea pietate misericordiaque crudelius, qu in impios et ultima supplicia meritos confertur.
History of the Rise of the Huguenots|Henry Baird

British Dictionary definitions for nihil obstat

nihil obstat

/ (ˈɒbstæt) /

the phrase used by a Roman Catholic censor to declare publication inoffensive to faith or morals

Word Origin for nihil obstat

Latin, literally: nothing hinders

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012