OBVIATE (SAT)

This is my first shot at a real post. I hope it obviates the need to further explain the meaning of the word 'obviate.'

v. to make unnecessary, to clear away, to overcome

"Having a cell phone obviates the need for a house phone."

"Having a cell phone eliminates the need for a house phone."

"Having a cell phone makes having a house phone unnecessary."

Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus: obviate

The meaning of the word 'obviate' should not be confused with the word 'obvious,' although they have a root in common. If you break the word down you have 'ob,' a particle, which often means "in the way" from Latin, as well as the word "via," which means "way." So, something that is obvious could be something that is in your way, something that you can't ignore. To obviate something is to remove something that is in your way. In this sense, one would obviate something obvious by getting it out of the way.