- obit
- late 14c., "death," from L. obitus "death," pp. of obire, lit. "to go toward" (see obituary). In modern usage (since 1874) it is usually a clipped form of obituary, though it had the same meaning of "published death notice" 15c.-17c. The scholarly abbreviation ob. with date is from L. obiit "(he) died," third person sing. of obire.