obsolete

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin obsolētus (“worn out, gone out of use”), past participle of obsolēscere (“to wear out, fall into disuse, grow old, decay”); see obsolesce.

adj

1. (of words, equipment, etc.) No longer in use; gone into disuse; disused or neglected (often in favour of something newer).
   It is speculated that, within a few years, the Internet's speedy delivery of news worldwide will make newspapers obsolete.
   Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete. 2013-07-20, “The attack of the MOOCs”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845
2. (biology) Imperfectly developed; not very distinct.
   These two birds somewhat closely resemble each other, but the Sedge Warbler is russet-brown above, the feathers with dark centres, the pale buff eyestripe is very clearly defined, and the underparts are buffish white; the Reed Warbler is more olive on the upper parts, the feathers having no dark centres, the underparts are more inclined to buff, and the eyestripe is nearly obsolete. 1891, Charles Dixon, The Birds of Our Rambles: With a Companion for the Country, page 130

verb

1. (transitive) To cause to become obsolete.
   This software component has been obsoleted.
   We are in the process of obsoleting this product.
   Should we develop nonhuman minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete and replace us? 2023-03-22, “Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter”, in Future of Life Institute