Defacen

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To mar or spoil the surface or outward appearance of something, often by scribbling, cutting or otherwise damaging it
2. To disfigure the face or exterior of an object or thing so that its original look is lost or ruined
3. To injure the outward appearance of something, making it unsightly or erasing the form it once had

Etymology: Deface began as a literal injury to the human face. It came into English from Anglo-French, related to Old French "desfacier," where "des-" signals undoing or removal and "face" comes from Latin "facies." The original sense was to disfigure a person's features, and English kept that bodily meaning for centuries. The verb then spread from faces to any surface with an appearance. A coin, a monument, or a painted wall could be marred, and written text could be scratched out or made illegible. That last use is why the verb now mostly describes damaging signs, posters, or property rather than people.

Synonyms: deface, disfigure, mar

Antonyms: beautify, adorn