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Synonyms

macula

American  
[mak-yuh-luh] / ˈmæk yə lə /

noun

plural

maculae

  1. a spot or blotch, especially on one's skin; macule.

  2. Ophthalmology.

    1. an opaque spot on the cornea.

    2. Also called macula lutea, yellow spot.  an irregularly oval, yellow-pigmented area on the central retina, containing color-sensitive rods and the central point of sharpest vision.

macula British  
/ ˈmækjʊlə, ˈmækjuːl /

noun

  1. a small spot or area of distinct colour, esp the macula lutea

  2. any small discoloured spot or blemish on the skin, such as a freckle

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
macula Scientific  
/ măk′yə-lə /

plural

maculae

  1. A minute yellowish area located near the center of the retina of the eye, at which visual perception is most acute.

  2. A discolored spot on the skin that is not elevated above the surface.

Other Word Forms

  • macular adjective
  • multimacular adjective

Etymology

Origin of macula

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin: spot, blemish

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The disease affects the macula, a small area at the center of the retina that is essential for sharp, detailed vision.

From Science Daily • Jan. 9, 2026

Dry AMD gradually destroys the light-sensitive cells of the macula, eroding central vision over time.

From Science Daily • Oct. 20, 2025

As chair of her local macula support group, she said many in her position share the same concerns.

From BBC • Sep. 19, 2024

But mouse retinas lack the macula, a key region found in human eyes that picks out fine details, so they are not an ideal model.

From Scientific American • Aug. 8, 2022

Coste in 1834, and its independent observation by Wharton Jones in 1835; and fourth, the observation in the same year by Rudolph Wagner of the germinal macula or nucleus.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 3 "Electrostatics" to "Engis" by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.