online medical dictionary | definition of ob-

<prefix>

A combining form or prefix signifying to, toward, before, against, reversely, etc.; also, as a simple intensive; as in oblige, to bind to; obstacle, something standing before; object, literally to throw against; obovate, reversely, or oppositely, ovate.

Ob- is commonly assimilated before c, f, g, and p, to oc-, of-, og-, and op-.

Origin: Latin from ob 'towards, against, in the way of'

(05 Feb 2009)