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blemish

Pronunciation: /ˈblɛmɪʃ/

The English word “blemish” has 4 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A small flaw which spoils the appearance of something, a stain, a spot.
  2. A moral defect; a character flaw.

verb

  1. To spoil the appearance of.
  2. To tarnish (reputation, character, etc.); to defame.

Etymology

From Middle English blemisshen, blemissen, from Old French blemiss-, stem of Old French blemir, blesmir (“make pale, injure, wound, bruise”) (French blêmir), from Old Frankish *blesmijan, *blasmijan (“to make pale”), from Old Frankish *blasmī (“pale”), from Proto-Germanic *blasaz (“white, pale”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine”). Cognate with Dutch bles (“white spot”), German blass…

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