Blur

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /ˈblɜː/

Definitions

1. Something that appears unclear or indistinct, lacking sharp edges or definition
2. An instance where clarity is lost, resulting in something appearing indistinct or hazy and missing sharp outlines or detail
3. A phenomenon whereby an object lacks clarity, making it difficult to discern fine details or clear outlines, resulting in a vague impression

Etymology: The verb "blur" began life as a close cousin of "blear," an older word meaning to make the eyes watery or dim. Its ancestors trace back to Old English "blerian," which meant to make something bare or bald, and further back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to make pale." The sense of paleness and dimness is the thread that connects the two: something blurred has lost the crisp colour and edges it once had. The form "blur" most likely arose as an alteration of "blear" in Middle English, with the spelling "blurre" appearing as a noun for a smear or stain before the word came to describe vision and outline. Scots "blore" and "bloar," meaning to cover with blots, show the same family of meanings persisting in other dialects of English.

Synonyms: smudge, haze, obscure, cloud, fuzz

Antonyms: clarity, sharpness, focus, definition, distinctness