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Which of these technologies is considered obsolete?

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obsolete

American  

[ob-suh-leet, ob-suh-leet] / ˌɒb səˈlit, ˈɒb səˌlit /

adjective

1. no longer in general use; fallen into disuse.

   an obsolete expression.

   Antonyms:

   modern, new

2. of a discarded or outmoded type; out of date.

   an obsolete battleship.

   Synonyms:

   old, ancient, antiquated

   Antonyms:

   modern, new

3. (of a linguistic form) no longer in use, especially, out of use for at least the past century.

4. effaced by wearing down or away.

5. Biology. imperfectly developed or rudimentary in comparison with the corresponding character in other individuals, as of a different sex or of a related species.

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verb (used with object)

obsoleted, obsoleting

1. to make obsolete by replacing with something newer or better; antiquate.

   Automation has obsoleted many factory workers.

obsolete British  

/ ˌɒbsəˈliːt, ˈɒbsəˌliːt /

adjective

1. out of use or practice; not current

2. out of date; unfashionable or outmoded

3. biology (of parts, organs, etc) vestigial; rudimentary

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Usage

Terms and definitions labeled Obsolete in this dictionary have not been in widespread use since the mid 1700s. Unlike some relatively familiar archaic words and phrases, like prithee and thou art, obsolete words and phrases are not easily understood by a modern reader, and obsolete senses of current terms, as found in definitions 13, 14, and 15 of nice, are even more difficult for a contemporary reader to recognize.

The word obsoleteness is hardly ever used, obsolescence standing as the noun form for both obsolete and obsolescent

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unobsolete
  adjective
• obsoleteness
  noun
• subobsolete
  adjective
• obsoletely
  adverb
• nonobsolete
  adjective
• subobsoletely
  adverb
• subobsoleteness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of obsolete

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin obsolētus, past participle of obsolēscere “to fall into disuse,” perhaps equivalent to ob- ob- + sol(ēre) “to be accustomed to” + -ēscere -esce

Explanation

Use the adjective obsolete for something that is out of date. As the Rolling Stones song "Out of Time" goes, "You're obsolete, my baby, my poor old-fashioned baby." Obsolete is from the Latin obsolescere "to fall into disuse," and it is a very handy adjective for anything that is no longer used, from words to factories to computer software to ways of thinking. Something that is obsolete has usually been displaced by a newer, shinier innovation. Compact discs made records and cassettes obsolete, and then downloadable digital music files made compact discs obsolete.

Example Sentences

There’s been speculation for years when club sports, travel ball and showcases might make education-based high school sports obsolete or irrelevant.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

For all the doomsday predictions that AI will make management consultants obsolete, Boston Consulting Group CEO Christoph Schweizer has this retort: Look at the business.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

He said some people "might say these values are now old-fashioned and obsolete, but they are important for us and for our nations".

From BBC • May 27, 2026

Investors are reacting, analysts are talking about “FOBO” — fear of becoming obsolete — and organizations are again asking whether they are ready for what comes next.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

Sometimes if you look a word up in the dictionary, you’ll see some definitions marked as obsolete.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

Related Words

• antiquated
• archaic
• out-of-date
• outmoded