Maculate
/ˈmækjʊlət/noun
Marked with spots or stains; morally blemished or defiled.
Did you know?Maculate comes from the same ancient Latin root behind words for “spot” and “blemish,” and its opposite, immaculate, literally means “unspotted” — a perfect example of language treating purity like a magical state.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mel-
“to grind, crush, or make a mark; a root associated with discoloration and spots in later descendants”
Latin
Latin
maculāre
“to stain, spot, or blemish”
Late Latin
Latin
maculātus
“spotted; stained; defiled”
Old French
Old French
maculer
“to stain, blot, or defile”
14th–15th Century
Middle English
maculate
“to stain, pollute, or blemish”
Modern English
English
maculate
“marked with spots or stains; morally blemished”
Explore more surprising origins