scar

¹ American  

[skahr] / skɑr /

noun

1. a mark left by a healed wound, sore, or burn.

2. a lasting aftereffect of trouble, especially a lasting psychological injury resulting from suffering or trauma.

3. any blemish remaining as a trace of or resulting from injury or use.

4. Botany. a mark indicating a former point of attachment, as where a leaf has fallen from a stem.

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verb (used with object)

scars, present (3rd person singular) scarred, past participle, past scarring present participle

1. to mark with a scar.

verb (used without object)

scars, present (3rd person singular) scarred, past participle, past scarring present participle

1. to form a scar in healing.

scar ² American  

[skahr] / skɑr /

noun

British.

1. a precipitous, rocky place; cliff.

2. a low or submerged rock in the sea.

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scar ¹ British  

/ skɑː /

noun

1. any mark left on the skin or other tissue following the healing of a wound

2. a permanent change in a person's character resulting from emotional distress

   his wife's death left its scars on him

3. the mark on a plant indicating the former point of attachment of a part, esp the attachment of a leaf to a stem

4. a mark of damage; blemish

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verb

1. to mark or become marked with a scar

2. (intr) to heal leaving a scar

scar ² British  

/ skɑː /

noun

1. an irregular enlongated trench-like feature on a land surface that often exposes bedrock

2. a similar formation in a river or sea

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• scarless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• scarring
  present
• scarred
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• scar
  simple
• scars
  simple
• have scarred
  perfect
• has scarred
  perfect
• am scarring
  progressive
• are scarring
  progressive
• is scarring
  progressive
• have been scarring
  perfect progressive
• has been scarring
  perfect progressive

Past

• scarred
  simple
• had scarred
  perfect
• was scarring
  progressive
• were scarring
  progressive
• had been scarring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will scar
  simple
• will have scarred
  perfect
• will be scarring
  progressive
• will have been scarring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of scar¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; shortening of eschar

Origin of scar²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English scarre, skerre, from Old Norse sker skerry

Explanation

A scar is a place where a wound healed but is still visible, or if you're little, it's a mark where a boo-boo was. Scar is from the Greek word eskhara, a "scab formed after a burn." It's all that and more. Scar can be a noun or a verb — you can have a scar on your knee after your skateboarding incident, and a bad round of chicken pox can scar you. Something scary can scar, you, too, like a horror movie or catching your parents in the act. Scars can be emotional. Take one letter off scare and you're left with a scar.

Example Sentences

In addition to winning him the hand of Desdemona, they have left an invisible scar behind, a grievous case of post-traumatic stress disorder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

Now Reid, dressed in black with his chest partially exposed beneath an open jacket revealing a scar, stepped on stage and into the role of Lestat in front of the audience.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026

While creatures such as salamanders can regenerate entire limbs, humans typically heal injuries by forming scar tissue.

From Science Daily • Jun. 17, 2026

Once Sinner and Djokovic were out of the way, Zverev took over as the clear front-runner - but he has scar tissue from his previous Grand Slam final defeats.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

I immersed the sponge and turned my focus back to the task, trying to pretend the scar wasn’t there.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• blister
• crater
• defect
• discoloration
• disfigurement
• flaw
• scab
• wound