Nihil Obstat (Noun)

Meaning ¹

The phrase used by the official censor of the Roman Catholic Church to say that a publication has been examined and contains nothing offensive to the church.

Classification

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.

Examples

• The book received the nihil obstat from the bishop, indicating that its contents were acceptable to the Catholic Church.
• Before the Vatican published the new catechism, it was given a nihil obstat by the official censor to ensure its theological accuracy.
• The author was relieved to receive the nihil obstat for her novel, which explored themes of faith and morality.
• The nihil obstat is a crucial step in the Catholic Church's approval process for any publication that deals with matters of faith or morals.
• The censor's nihil obstat was proudly displayed on the title page of the book, reassuring readers of its orthodoxy.

Hypernyms

• Countenance
• Warrant
• Indorsement
• Imprimatur
• Endorsement

Meaning ²

Authoritative approval.

Classification

Nouns denoting acts or actions.

Examples

• The Catholic Church granted nihil obstat to the translation of the Bible, deeming it faithful to the original text.
• The publisher waited for the nihil obstat from the academic board before printing the contentious manuscript.
• The nihil obstat from the regulatory agency was a crucial step in getting the new medicine approved for public use.
• After months of review, the committee finally issued a nihil obstat for the construction of the new skyscraper.
• The nihil obstat from the ethics committee was required before the researchers could begin their study on human subjects.