blister

[blis-ter]

noun

1. a thin vesicle on the skin, containing watery matter or serum, as from a burn or other injury.

2. any similar swelling, as an air bubble in a coat of paint.

3. a relatively large bubble occurring in glass during blowing.

4. Military.,  a transparent bulge or dome on the fuselage of an airplane, usually for mounting a gun.

5. Photography.,  a bubble of air formed where the emulsion has separated from the base of a film, as because of defective processing.

6. a dome or skylight on a building.

7. the moving bubble in a spirit level.

8. a small blisterlike covering of plastic, usually affixed to a piece of cardboard and containing a small item, as a pen, bolt, or medicinal tablet.

verb (used with object)

1. to raise a blister or blisters on.

   These new shoes blistered my feet.

2. to criticize or rebuke severely.

   The boss blistered his assistant in front of the whole office.

3. to beat or thrash; punish severely.

verb (used without object)

1. to form or rise as a blister or blisters; become blistered.

blister

/ ˈblɪstə /

noun

1. a small bubble-like elevation of the skin filled with serum, produced as a reaction to a burn, mechanical irritation, etc

2. a swelling containing air or liquid, as on a painted surface

3. a transparent dome or any bulge on the fuselage of an aircraft, such as one used for observation

4. slang,  an irritating person

5. slang,  a rebuke

verb

1. to have or cause to have blisters

2. (tr) to attack verbally with great scorn or sarcasm

Other Word Forms

• reblister verb
• unblistered adjective
• blistered adjective
• blistery adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of blister¹

1250–1300; Middle English blister, blester < Old Norse blǣstri, dative of blāstr swelling. See blast, blow ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of blister¹

C13: from Old French blestre , probably from Middle Dutch bluyster blister; see _blast

Example Sentences

Scientists are also developing faster, more accurate tools to diagnose autoimmune blistering diseases—conditions that occur when the immune system attacks proteins that hold skin layers together.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He arrived in Japan two months later and made a blistering start to his career, reaching sumo's upper divisions in only a year and winning promotion to the fourth-highest rank.

Read more on Barron's

Head's heroics came on the back of a blistering spell from marauding pace pair Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc after lunch that sparked a stunning England collapse.

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Penelope limped along after him; her right heel was blistering inside those stiff new boots, and the bedroll strapped to her back dug painfully into her shoulders.

Read more on Literature

By late afternoon, a blister had formed on the soft pad of Ridge’s thumb.

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Related Words

• abscess 
• cyst 
• pimple 
• sore 
• ulcer 
• welt