birthmark

American  

[burth-mahrk] / ˈbɜrθˌmɑrk /

noun

1. a minor disfigurement or blemish on a person's skin at birth; nevus.

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birthmark British  

/ ˈbɜːθˌmɑːk /

noun

1. a blemish or new growth on skin formed before birth, usually brown or dark red; naevus

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Etymology

Origin of birthmark

First recorded in 1570–80; birth + mark ¹

Explanation

A birthmark is a permanent spot on your skin, often dark brown colored. The actress Marilyn Monroe was famous for a small birthmark just above her lip. Most birthmarks are present from birth or soon after, and many are pigmented much darker than the surrounding skin. Strawberry and port wine birthmarks, on the other hand, are bright red. The causes of birthmarks vary, but they're almost always harmless. In the 17th century, they were sometimes called "longing marks," supposedly demonstrating the pregnant mother's longing for something before her baby was born.

Example Sentences

One gets the sense that Miriam’s inner darkness is inseparable from her brilliance, like Georgiana’s birthmark in Hawthorne’s early short story.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

He has the tender, shining eyes of an ingenue while Del Campo, who has a striking birthmark on her cheek, is a femme fatale able to hold her own against Wolff’s selfish, useless playboy.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2025

Amba Smith, who also features in the exhibition, has a birthmark that stretches from her head to her toes and also affects her internal organs.

From BBC • Jul. 20, 2024

In my shower in California, I scrub the soap against a rough white cotton washcloth and move the towel across every limb, every birthmark, every scar.

From Salon • Jul. 8, 2023

Sula was a heavy brown with large quiet eyes, one of which featured a birthmark that spread from the middle of the lid toward the eyebrow, shaped something like a stemmed rose.

From "Sula" by Toni Morrison