scar

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: an isolated or protruding rock
2
: a steep rocky eminence : a bare place on the side of a mountain

scar

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
: a mark remaining (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed
2
: a mark left where something was previously attached : cicatrix sense 2
especially : a mark left on a stem or branch where a leaf or fruit has separated
3
: a mark or indentation (as on furniture) resulting from damage or wear
4
: a lasting moral or emotional injury
one of his men had been killed … in a manner that left a scar upon his mindH. G. Wells
scarless adjective

scar

3 of 3

verb

scarred; scarring

transitive verb

1
: to mark with a scar
2
: to do lasting injury to

intransitive verb

1
: to form a scar
2
: to become scarred

Examples of scar in a Sentence

Noun (1) at the next bend in the river, a scar of red sandstone steeply rises to over 100 feet Noun (2) the scars left by carelessly scratching the car door with one's keys Verb His arm was badly scarred after the accident. The tragedy left her emotionally scarred. Your shoes are scarring the floor. The fence was scarred by rust.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This wasn’t the first or last house to bear scars from our tenure. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 26 Nov. 2024 Within hours, towering waves struck 14 countries, claiming over 230,000 lives and leaving an indelible scar on the world. Tony Bradley, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
Tuesday’s wave of explosions in Lebanon will likely scar the Party, as they are often known, who pride themselves on secrecy, and the technological omerta their members adhere to. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 17 Sep. 2024 In general, poking, picking, or otherwise messing with your skin can lead to more breakouts, scarring, and possibly an infection. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for scar 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English skere, from Old Norse sker skerry; probably akin to Old Norse skera to cut — more at shear

Noun (2)

Middle English escare, scar, from Middle French escare scab, from Late Latin eschara, from Greek, hearth, brazier, scab

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1555, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scar was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near scar

Cite this Entry

“Scar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scar. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

scar

1 of 2 noun
1
: a mark left (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed
2
: a mark on a stem or branch where a leaf or fruit has separated
3
: a mark (as on furniture) resembling a scar
4
: a lasting injury from a bad experience

scar

2 of 2 verb
scarred; scarring
1
: to mark with or form a scar
2
: to do lasting injury to
3
: to become scarred

Medical Definition

scar

1 of 2 noun
1
: a mark left (as in the skin) by the healing of injured tissue
2
: a lasting emotional injury
psychological scars

scar

2 of 2 verb
scarred; scarring

transitive verb

: to mark with a scar
scarred heart valves

intransitive verb

1
: to form a scar
2
: to become scarred

More from Merriam-Webster on scar

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