obit

American  

[oh-bit, oh-bit, ob-it, ob-it] / oʊˈbɪt, ˈoʊ bɪt, ˈɒb ɪt, ˈɒb ɪt /

noun

1. Informal. an obituary.

2. the date of a person's death.

3. Obsolete. a Requiem Mass.

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obit British  

/ ˈɒbɪt, ˈəʊbɪt /

noun

1. short for obituary

2. a memorial service

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Etymology

Origin of obit

1325–75; Middle English obite < Latin obitus death, equivalent to obi- (stem of obīre to meet, meet one's death, die; ob- ob- + īre to go) + -tus suffix of v. action

Explanation

An obit is a news story about someone who's recently died, usually including details about the person's life and the date of their death. You can also call an obit a "death notice." Obit is a commonly used informal name for an obituary. Traditionally, obits were published in newspapers either daily or weekly, while today they're just as likely to be published online, often posted by a funeral home or church that's hosting memorial services. Obit comes from the Latin obitus, "death," the past participle of obire, "to go toward" or "to die."

Example Sentences

Crafting your obit forces you to reflect on your priorities, values and legacy.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

But the finer points of the Slay obit were less a resume than a catalog of whimsy.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2023

Another possibility is that a group of gas giants had formed in a farther obit more traditional for those types of planets, but that their orbits somehow destabilized.

From Salon • Sep. 6, 2023

But not everything made it into that obit.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 22, 2023

I finished up and ran the obit down to Mr. Greene.

From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos

Related Words

• burial
• cremation