Obsolete: no longer in use
Obsolete means no longer used, often because something else has replaced it. It comes from Latin obsoletus, meaning worn out or grown old. A superseded booking form can be obsolete even if the printed copies look new, because their appearance does not determine whether the form is still accepted.
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Status matters more than age
Obsolete is an adjective for something no longer in use or no longer useful for its intended purpose. It comes from Latin obsoletus, associated with being worn out or grown old.
An old object is not necessarily obsolete. A decades-old ruler can still measure lengths perfectly well. A newly printed form may already be obsolete if the organisation has replaced that version.
- Obsolete equipment has fallen out of use or been superseded.
- An obsolete expression is no longer in ordinary use.
Specify the setting when needed. A format may be obsolete within one organisation while still used elsewhere. Saying that version 2 of a form is obsolete is more precise than assuming every paper form has become obsolete.