Origin: Latin suffix -ous
Obvious has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
Easily discovered, seen, or understood; self-explanatory.
"The smell of burning toast was obvious to everyone in the kitchen long before anyone saw it."
In plain English: Obvious means something is so clear that everyone can see it without any doubt.
"It was obvious that he had never done this before."
Usage: Use "obvious" to describe something that is immediately clear or easily understood by anyone without needing further explanation. Avoid using it sarcastically to mean the opposite unless your intended audience will clearly recognize the irony.
The word "obvious" entered English in the 16th century from Latin obvius, which originally described something placed directly in one's path to be met or encountered. Over time, this sense of being easily accessible evolved into our modern meaning of something clear and easy to understand.