/ skɑː(r); NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a mark that is left on the skin after a wound has healed :
a scar on his cheek
Will the operation leave a scar?
scar tissue
2.
a permanent feeling of great sadness or mental pain that a person is left with after an unpleasant experience :
His years in prison have left deep scars .
3.
something unpleasant or ugly that spoils the appearance or public image of sth :
The town still bears the scars of war.
Racism has been a scar on the game.
4.
an area of a hill or cliff where there is exposed rock and no grass
■ verb ( -rr- ) [ vn ] [ often passive ]
1.
( of a wound, etc. ) to leave a mark on the skin after it has healed :
His face was badly scarred.
2.
( of an unpleasant experience ) to leave sb with a feeling of sadness or mental pain :
The experience left her scarred for life .
3.
to spoil the appearance of sth :
The hills are scarred by quarries.
battle-scarred buildings
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French escharre , via late Latin from Greek eskhara scab.