How do you pronounce maculate?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈmækjʊleɪt/.

Where does maculate come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

maculate

/ˈmækjʊleɪt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.22 in modern English

Syllables: mac-u-late
IPA: /ˈmækjʊleɪt/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To spot; to stain; to blur.

verb

past participle of maculate

Obsolete

adj

Marked with spots or maculae; blotched.

Archaic

adj

Defiled, impure.

Archaic

Example Sentences

"they wolde nat maculate the honour of their people with suche a reproche"
"There was a fresh smell in the air. Sidewalks began to be maculated with spreading areas of dryness"
"That the honour of verteous gentil men, be nocht maculat vitht the vice ande inciuilite of vicius pretendit gentil men."
"[Les Misérables is] about the struggle of a mistreated man as he rises to the top, along with a mortal conflict between this maculate virtuous man and an immaculate pursuing demon."

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).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: maculaten, maculātus

Usage

Inflected Forms

maculates (present, singular) maculating (participle, present) maculated (participle, past) maculated (past) more maculate (comparative) most maculate (superlative)

Derived Forms

bimaculate maculism

Frequently Paired Words

immaculate macula

Synonyms

defiled foul befoul defile tarnish stain sully

Rhymes With

immaculate