"rectangular stone column, tapering at the top," 1569, from M.Fr. obélisque, from L. obeliscus "obelisk, small spit," from Gk. obeliskos, dim. of obelos "a spit, pointed pillar, needle."
It originates from prehistoric Germanic "andswaru", having been a compound form in Old English from "and" ( = against ) + "swerian" ( = swear ); thus a kind of counter-question said in time as a...