ENGLISH
REFERENCE

scar

n. · v.
US //ˈskɑɹ// UK //skˈɑː// scar
  1. 1 mark on the skin (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Medicine

    a permanent mark on your skin that stays after a cut, burn, or wound heals.

    a mark left on the skin or within body tissue where a wound, burn, or sore has not completely healed and fibrous connective tissue has developed.

    Example

    He has a small scar on his knee from a cycling accident when he was ten.

    Example

    The surgeon explained that while the incision was necessary, the resulting scar would fade significantly over the next twelve months.
  2. 2 emotional damage (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a lasting feeling of sadness or fear caused by a very bad experience in the past.

    a lasting psychological effect or emotional trauma resulting from a distressing experience.

    Example

    The war left deep mental scars on the soldiers who returned home.

    Example

    Psychologists noted that the childhood neglect had left invisible scars that continued to influence his adult relationships and self-esteem.
Show 2 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 rocky cliff (n.)
    C2 Proficiency British English Dialect

    a steep, rocky cliff or a part of a mountain where rocks stick out.

    a steep high cliff or a prominent rock outcrop, particularly common in the limestone districts of northern England.

    Example

    We climbed up the limestone scar to see the view across the valley.

    Example

    The rugged scar dominated the landscape, its grey limestone face contrasting sharply with the lush green fields below.

    Usage

    Primarily used in geographical contexts in Northern England.
  2. 4 to leave a mark (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to leave a permanent mark on someone's skin or mind.

    to mark with a scar, whether through physical injury or psychological trauma. Often used in the passive voice.

    Example

    The hot oil splashed his arm and scarred him for life.

    Example

    The landscape was scarred by years of open-cast mining, leaving deep pits where forests once stood.
Etymology 1

From Middle English scar, scarre, a conflation of Old French escare (“scab”) (from Late Latin eschara, from Ancient Greek ἐσχάρα (eskhára, “scab left from a burn”), and thus a doublet of eschar) and Middle English skar (“incision, cut, fissure”) (from Old Norse skarð (“notch, chink, gap”), from Proto-Germanic *skardaz (“gap, cut, fragment”)). Akin to Old Norse skor (“notch, score”), Old English sċeard (“gap, cut, notch”). More at shard. Displaced native Old English dolg, dolgswæþ, and wundswaþu (“scar”). Not related to scarify.

Etymology 2

From Middle English scarre, skarr, skerre, sker, a borrowing from Old Norse sker (“an isolated rock in the sea; skerry”). Cognate with Icelandic sker, Norwegian skjær, Swedish skär, Danish skær, German Schäre. Doublet of skerry and scaur.

Etymology 3

From Latin scarus (“a kind of fish”), from Ancient Greek σκάρος (skáros, “parrot wrasse, Sparisoma cretense, syn. Scarus cretensis”).

© 2026 English Reference