English Reference

Word

wart

US/ˈwɔɹt/

UK/wˈɔːt/

Definition

n. a small, ugly bump on your skin that is usually caused by a virus. It can be painful if you press on it.

n. a small, rough, raised growth on the skin, typically caused by a human papillomavirus (HPV). Often found on the hands or feet and may be painful when pressed.

Examples

“She has a small wart on her thumb.”

“The doctor used a special cream to remove the wart on his patient's heel.”

“While most warts are harmless and eventually disappear on their own, some can be quite persistent and require medical intervention to prevent the virus from spreading to other parts of the body.”

Examples

simple

“She has a small wart on her thumb.”

contextual

“The doctor used a special cream to remove the wart on his patient's heel.”

complex

“While most warts are harmless and eventually disappear on their own, some can be quite persistent and require medical intervention to prevent the virus from spreading to other parts of the body.”

Real-World Examples

“There are, and will continue to be, warts, imperfections, things that Bruno Guimarães might have done.”
The Guardian · 23 Aug 2026
“It strains to paint the whole canvas and give us the man in full, warts and all.”
The Guardian · 10 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English warte, werte, from Old English wearte, from Proto-West Germanic wartā, from Proto-Germanic wartǭ. Cognate with Dutch wrat, German Warze, Hunsrik Waarz, Swedish vårta and Danish vorte.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Idioms

warts and all — Of or pertaining to a description or other depiction which reveals the full range of characteristics of a person or thing, including the shortcomings and imperfections.

Domain

Programming

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference