c.1375, "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.