stigma

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Science Technical

n. the top part of a flower's center that catches pollen.

n. the receptive apex of the pistil of a flower, on which pollen is deposited at pollination.

“The bee brushed against the stigma, leaving behind pollen from the previous flower.”

“In many angiosperms, the stigma is covered with a sticky secretion that facilitates the adhesion and germination of pollen grains.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Medicine Technical

n. a physical mark or sign on the body that shows someone has a specific disease.

n. a visible sign or characteristic symptom of a particular disease or medical condition.

“The doctor looked for physical stigmas that might suggest a genetic disorder.”

“The patient presented with several cutaneous stigmas characteristic of chronic liver disease, including spider angiomas on the chest.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical · Archaic

n. a special symbol used in the Greek alphabet to represent the letters 's' and 't' together.

n. a ligature of the Greek letters sigma and tau, historically used in writing and still used as a numeral for six.

“The researcher noted the use of the stigma symbol in the medieval Greek manuscript.”

“In modern Greek typography, the stigma is rarely encountered except in its function as the numeral six in specific formal contexts.”