non obstante
/nɒn ɒbˈstænti/
prepositional phrase
Origin
Latin
non obstante — not hindering/standing against
Overview
Meaning Now
- notwithstanding; despite; in spite of
- a legal clause formerly used to authorize an act to be done that would otherwise be prohibited by law
Literal older meaning
not standing in the way
Language path
Latin → Middle English → Modern English
Earliest form
non obstante
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The phrase was famously used in the 'non obstante clause' of royal patents in England, allowing the monarch to override statutory laws. It became a point of significant constitutional contention during the 17th century, leading to its eventual restriction by the Bill of Rights 1689.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
non obstans
“not opposing”
Present participle of obstare
- Medieval Latin
non obstante
“notwithstanding”
Ablative absolute construction
- 16th-century English
non obstante
“notwithstanding”
Used in legal patents and royal proclamations
Connections
Word parts
non
prefix
not
obstante
stem
standing in the way (from obstare)
Related across languages
French
nonobstant
notwithstanding
Italian
nonostante
notwithstanding
Related words
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Related to non obstante
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.