scar

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: an isolated or protruding rock
2
: a steep rocky eminence : a bare place on the side of a mountain

scar

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
: a mark remaining (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed
2
: a mark left where something was previously attached : cicatrix sense 2
especially : a mark left on a stem or branch where a leaf or fruit has separated
3
: a mark or indentation (as on furniture) resulting from damage or wear
4
: a lasting moral or emotional injury
one of his men had been killed … in a manner that left a scar upon his mindH. G. Wells
scarless adjective

scar

3 of 3

verb

scarred; scarring

transitive verb

1
: to mark with a scar
2
: to do lasting injury to

intransitive verb

1
: to form a scar
2
: to become scarred

Examples of scar in a Sentence

Noun (1) at the next bend in the river, a scar of red sandstone steeply rises to over 100 feet Noun (2) the scars left by carelessly scratching the car door with one's keys Verb His arm was badly scarred after the accident. The tragedy left her emotionally scarred. Your shoes are scarring the floor. The fence was scarred by rust.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In a powerful and deeply personal move, the former Daily Show correspondent decided to showcase her mastectomy scars in a SKIMS campaign, sparking an important conversation about body acceptance and breast cancer recovery. Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 23 Oct. 2024 Partner with folks who've been there, done that and have the battle scars to prove it. Joseph Drups, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 But the scar gives him substance, rescues his looks from bland perfection. Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 10 Oct. 2024 Bio-Oil Skincare Oil $61 $47 Amazon Known for reducing the appearance of stretch marks and acne scars, Bio-Oil is a holy grail product. Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for scar 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English skere, from Old Norse sker skerry; probably akin to Old Norse skera to cut — more at shear

Noun (2)

Middle English escare, scar, from Middle French escare scab, from Late Latin eschara, from Greek, hearth, brazier, scab

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1555, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scar was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near scar

Cite this Entry

“Scar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scar. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

scar

1 of 2 noun
1
: a mark left (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed
2
: a mark on a stem or branch where a leaf or fruit has separated
3
: a mark (as on furniture) resembling a scar
4
: a lasting injury from a bad experience

scar

2 of 2 verb
scarred; scarring
1
: to mark with or form a scar
2
: to do lasting injury to
3
: to become scarred

Medical Definition

scar

1 of 2 noun
1
: a mark left (as in the skin) by the healing of injured tissue
2
: a lasting emotional injury
psychological scars

scar

2 of 2 verb
scarred; scarring

transitive verb

: to mark with a scar
scarred heart valves

intransitive verb

1
: to form a scar
2
: to become scarred

More from Merriam-Webster on scar

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!