obstacle

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an obstruction that stands in the way and must be removed, surmounted or circumvented

   These obstacles cannot hold us back.

2. 2
   noun

   something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted

   lack of imagination is an obstacle to one's advancement

3. 3
   noun

   Something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress, either physically or figuratively

   A big obstacle to understanding the manual was that it had been poorly translated from the Japanese.

Etymology

From Middle English obstacle, from Old French obstacle, from Latin obstāculum.