scar

Meaning

Noun

1. A permanent mark on the skin, sometimes caused by the healing of a wound.
2. (broadly) A permanent negative effect on someone's mind, caused by a traumatic experience.
3. Any permanent mark resulting from damage.

Verb

1. (transitive) To mark the skin permanently.
2. (intransitive) To form a scar.
3. (figuratively, transitive) To affect deeply in a traumatic manner.

Synonyms

cicatrix

cicatrice

mark

wound

scratch

blemish

bruise

cut

gash

injury

welt

scab

stain

mole

trace

weal

pock

scrape

defect

spot

hurt

pit

drawback

sore

stab

track

ugly

notch

birthmark

brand

scarify

scarred

wound mark

ruin

scars

aim

score

sign

slice

spasm

split

traces

twitch

vaccination

vestige

wheal

scotch

fingernail mark

leave traces

remain imprinted

Translations

cicatrice

cicatriz

cicatrice

Narbe

litteken

cicatriz

cicatriu

balafre

cicatrix

wondteken

ουλή

ندبة

sfregio

sfregiare

Pronounced as (IPA)

/skɑɹ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: scar

Cognate with Old Norse: skor

Cognate with Old English: sċeard

Inherited from Middle English: scarre

Cognate with Icelandic: sker

Cognate with Norwegian: skjær

Cognate with Swedish: skär

Cognate with Danish: skær

Cognate with German: Schäre

In summary

From Middle English scar, scarre, a conflation of Old French escare (“scab”) (from Late Latin eschara, from Ancient Greek ἐσχάρα (eskhára, “scab left from a burn”), and thus a doublet of eschar) and Middle English skar (“incision, cut, fissure”) (from Old Norse skarð (“notch, chink, gap”), from Proto-Germanic *skardaz (“gap, cut, fragment”)). Akin to Old Norse skor (“notch, score”), Old English sċeard (“gap, cut, notch”). More at shard.
Displaced native Old English dolg, dolgswæþ, and wundswaþu (“scar”).