1610s, originally in the philosophical sense of "considered in relation to its object" (opposite of subjective); formed on the pattern of Medieval Latin objectivus, from objectum "object" (see object (n.)) + -ive.

The meaning "impersonal, unbiased" is attested by 1855, influenced by this sense in German objektiv. Related: Objectively.

c. 1400, objecten, "to bring forward as a ground of opposition, doubt, or criticism; raise an argument against (a proposition, line of reasoning, etc.)," from Old French objecter and directly from Latin obiectus, past participle of obiectare "to cite as grounds for disapproval, set against, oppose," literally "to put or throw before or against," frequentative of obicere (see object (n.)). Related: Objected; objecting.

late 14c., "tangible thing, something perceived with or presented to the senses," from Old French object and directly from Medieval Latin obiectum "thing put before" (the mind or sight), noun use of neuter of Latin obiectus "lying before, opposite" (as a noun in classical Latin, "charges, accusations"), past participle of obicere "to present, oppose, cast in the way of," from ob "in front of, towards, against" (see ob-) + iacere "to throw" (from PIE root *ye- "to throw, impel").

Sense of "purpose, thing aimed at" is from early 15c., from Latin obiectus "that which presents itself to the sight." Meaning "that toward which a cognitive act is directed" is from 1580s. Grammatical sense of "a member of a sentence expressing that on which the action of the verb is exerted" is from 1729.

No object "not a thing regarded as important" is from 1782, in which the sense of object is "obstacle, hindrance" (c. 1500). As an adjective, "presented to the senses," from late 14c. Object-lesson "instruction conveyed by examination of a material object" is from 1831.

late 14c., objeccioun, "argument against the validity of a proposition or line of reasoning," from Old French objeccion "reply, retort" (12c.) and directly from Late Latin obiectionem (nominative obiectio), "a throwing or putting before" (in Medieval Latin "an objection"), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin obicere "to oppose" (see object (n.)).

1803, from Medieval Latin objectivus, from Latin objectus (see object (n.)) + -ity.

1738, "something objective to the mind," from objective (adj.). Meaning "goal, aim" (1881) is from military term objective point (1852), reflecting a sense evolution in French.

"act or process of making or presenting (someone or something) as an object, especially an object of sense," by 1860, noun of action from objectify.

"present as an object," especially as an object of sense, by 1838, from Medieval Latin obiectum (see object (n.)) + -fy. Related: Objectified; objectifying.

"justly liable to objection, calling for disapproval," 1779, from objection + -able. Related: Objectionably.

1854 in philosophical sense, "the doctrine that knowledge is based on objective reality," from objective (adj.) + -ism.