Bloodstains

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A visible mark left on a surface where blood has been shed, typically indicating the occurrence of injury or violence
2. A pattern or spot of dried or fresh blood on fabric, flooring, or other materials
3. The remnants of blood on surfaces that can serve as evidence of a crime or accident

Etymology: "Bloodstains" is the plural of "bloodstain," a compound built from two plain English words: "blood," from Old English "blōd," and "stain," which came into English from Old French "desteindre," meaning to remove colour, the idea being that a stain alters or spoils the surface it marks. Put together, the word describes the mark left when blood soaks into or dries on a surface. The plural form simply counts multiple such marks, so the word's origin lies entirely in the singular. The combination of two ordinary words, rather than a borrowed term, explains why its meaning stays so literal: a blood-stain is exactly what the two parts say it is.

Synonyms: splotches, marks, stains, blemishes, spots

Antonyms: cleanliness, purity, spotlessness, clarity, freshness