Standard Lemma guide

maculate

adj · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈmækjʊleɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ækjʊleɪt
  • rhymes with -ækjʊlət
  • /ˈmækjʊlət/
  • /ˈmækjələt/

1

adj

Meaning 1

Marked with spots or maculae; blotched.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, poetic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Defiled, impure.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, poetic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To spot; to stain; to blur.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

past participle of maculate

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, obsolete, participle, past

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

spotted or blotched

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

morally blemished; stained or impure

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: defiled

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

spot, stain, or pollute

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: foul, befoul, defile

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dishonor, disgrace, dishonour, attaint, shame

8

verb

Meaning 8

make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The silver was tarnished by the long exposure to the air
  • Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tarnish, stain, sully, defile

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: spot, fleck, blob, blot

Narrower terms: darken

History

Etymology

First attested during the last quarter of the 15th century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English maculaten (“to spoil, polute”), borrowed from Latin maculātus, perfect passive participle of maculō (“to spot”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: покрит с петна (pokrit s petna) — Marked with spots or maculae; blotched
  • Dutch: gespikkeld — Marked with spots or maculae; blotched
  • Dutch: vlekkerig — Marked with spots or maculae; blotched
  • Russian: пятни́стый (pjatnístyj) — Marked with spots or maculae; blotched
  • Spanish: macular — Marked with spots or maculae; blotched
  • French: impur — Defiled; impure
  • Russian: гря́зный (grjáznyj) — Defiled; impure
  • Bulgarian: опетнявам (opetnjavam) — To spot; to stain; to blur
  • French: maculer — To spot; to stain; to blur
  • Russian: загрязнять (zagrjaznjatʹ) — To spot; to stain; to blur
  • Russian: па́чкать (páčkatʹ) — To spot; to stain; to blur
  • Spanish: macular — To spot; to stain; to blur