nihil obstat

noun

nihil ob·​stat
-ˈäbzˌtat,
-bˌst-
1
: the certification by an official censor of the Roman Catholic Church that a book has been examined and found to contain nothing opposed to faith and morals
2
: authoritative or official approval
the surest road to fame was … through the imprimatur and nihil obstat of a foreign criticP. H. Odegard

Word History

Etymology

Latin, nothing hinders

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near nihil obstat

Cite this Entry

“Nihil obstat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nihil%20obstat. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!