scar
1 Americannoun
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a mark left by a healed wound, sore, or burn.
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a lasting aftereffect of trouble, especially a lasting psychological injury resulting from suffering or trauma.
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any blemish remaining as a trace of or resulting from injury or use.
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Botany. a mark indicating a former point of attachment, as where a leaf has fallen from a stem.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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a precipitous, rocky place; cliff.
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a low or submerged rock in the sea.
noun
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any mark left on the skin or other tissue following the healing of a wound
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a permanent change in a person's character resulting from emotional distress
his wife's death left its scars on him
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the mark on a plant indicating the former point of attachment of a part, esp the attachment of a leaf to a stem
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a mark of damage; blemish
verb
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to mark or become marked with a scar
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(intr) to heal leaving a scar
noun
-
an irregular enlongated trench-like feature on a land surface that often exposes bedrock
-
a similar formation in a river or sea
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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scarsimple
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scarssimple
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have scarredperfect
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has scarredperfect
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am scarringprogressive
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are scarringprogressive
-
is scarringprogressive
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have been scarringperfect progressive
-
has been scarringperfect progressive
Past
-
scarredsimple
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had scarredperfect
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was scarringprogressive
-
were scarringprogressive
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had been scarringperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing scar
Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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American Street
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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.
She is known to frequent High Row and Broken Scar picnic area.
From BBC • Sep. 21, 2025
In 2024, Stitch was largely surpassed only by characters who were featured in recent movies, including the emotions from Disney-Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” Scar and Mufasa from “The Lion King” and Moana.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2025
Scar tissue, known as adhesions, can form after surgery or other trauma to the abdomen.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 14, 2023
As a plus-size bounder, she has drawn inspiration and gotten tips from others, and was recently featured in a fan magazine for her look as Scar from “The Lion King.”
From Washington Post • Apr. 21, 2023
“You do not tell soldiers what to do,” Scar said.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
