Defigure

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To spoil or mar the appearance of something or someone, causing a loss of beauty or attractiveness; to disfigure or deform
2. To damage the visual form or outline of an object or person so that it becomes imperfect or unattractive; to ruin the exterior shape or look
3. To alter or damage the external features, leading to a reduction in aesthetic appeal; to cause a change that impairs normal appearance or shape

Etymology: "Defigure" is built from the prefix "de-", meaning "down" or "away" in Latin, and the English noun "figure," which traces back through Old French to Latin "figura," meaning "shape" or "form." Put together, the verb literally means to take a shape away from something, or to pull it out of its proper form. That sense of undoing a form is what the prefix contributes. Other English words built the same way, like "deform" and "deface," work on the same principle, reducing the shape or surface of a thing rather than simply changing it. "Defigure" applies that pattern to the outward shape of a person or object, so that a damaged face, body, or artwork is described as having lost its intended appearance.

Synonyms: disfigure, mar, deface, blemish, damage

Antonyms: beautify, enhance, improve, restore, repair