Added 9 October 2026
blemish
/ˈblɛmɪʃ/ noun
In Latin: macula Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about blemish at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
verb
- To spoil the appearance of.
- To tarnish (reputation, character, etc.); to defame.
Origin
From Middle English blemisshen, blemissen, from Old French blemiss-, stem of Old French blemir, blesmir (“make pale, injure, wound, bruise”) (French blêmir), from Old Frankish *blesmijan, *blasmijan (“to make pale”), from Old Frankish *blasmī (“pale”), from Proto-Germanic *blasaz (“white, pale”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine”). Cognate with Dutch bles (“white spot”), German blass (“pale”), Old English āblered (“bare, uncovered, bald, shaven”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)