1. the act of marking a passage in a text with an obelus (÷) to indicate it is spurious or doubtful
Usage: textual criticism; scholarly
2. severe criticism or censure
Usage: formal; rare

Examples

• The scholar used obelism to mark questionable passages in the ancient manuscript.
• Medieval scribes employed obelism when they suspected textual corruption.
• The editor’s obelism of the controversial chapter sparked debate among readers.
• Through careful obelism, researchers identified later interpolations in the text.
• The critic’s harsh obelism of the novel surprised many literary scholars.
• His obelism of the government’s policies was both thorough and scathing.