Dictionary

maculation en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /măk′yə-lā′shən/

Etymology

Etymology tree English macule English -ate Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ion English maculation From macule + -ate + -ion.

Meanings

1. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) The act of spotting; a spot; a blemish.
   • 1891, Ambrose Bierce, “A Holy Terror” in Tales of Soldiers and Civilians, San Francisco: E. L. G. Steele, p. 218, He could make out a mottled pattern on the hollow cheeks—the maculations of decay.
   • I speak not ‘be thou true,’ as fearing thee, For I will throw my glove to Death himself, That there’s no maculation in thy heart: c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:
2. (uncountable) A pattern of spots.
   • Females [of the species Speyeria nokomis] are cream above with heavy black maculation accompanied by much dark suffusion. 1975, William H. Howe, editor, The Butterflies of North America, Garden City, NY: Doubleday, page 217:
   • 1990, Mason E. Hale, A Synopsis of the Lichen Genus Xanthoparmelia (Vainio) Hale (Ascomycotina, Parmeliaceae), Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 195, [This lichen] species […] is recognized by […] more or less distinct maculation on the upper surface, and pale brown lower surface.

Forms

Deriveds

emaculation · solar maculation

Relateds

immaculate