Blemish

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈblɛmɪʃ/

Definitions

1. A mark, spot, or flaw that detracts from the appearance or perfection of something
2. A small defect or imperfection that negatively impacts the visual appeal or perfection of an object or surface
3. A minor imperfection or flaw that diminishes the overall quality or aesthetic appeal of an item or surface

Etymology: The most striking thing about "blemish" is that its root meaning is paleness, not damage. Its ancestor in Old French, "blemir," meant "make pale," and it could also mean to injure or bruise, so a wound and a loss of colour were once the same idea. The Old French word came from a Frankish verb meaning the same thing, built on a Frankish adjective for "pale," which traces back to a Germanic word for "white" or "pale." The English word entered Middle English as a verb, "blemisshen" or "blemissen," borrowed from that Old French stem. Its sense of injuring or marring survived in English long after the idea of turning pale had faded from view. The noun for a small visible flaw developed from that verb, so a blemish on the skin or on a surface is, at its origin, a mark that has taken the colour out of something.

Synonyms: flaw, imperfection, defect, stain, mark

Antonyms: perfection, flawlessness, beauty, purity, spotlessness