blotch

American  

[bloch] / blɒtʃ /

noun

1. a large, irregular spot or blot.

   Synonyms:

   stain, blemish, mark, splotch

2. Plant Pathology.

   1. a diseased, discolored spot or area on a plant.

   2. a disease so characterized, usually accompanied by cankers and lesions.

3. a skin eruption; blemish.

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verb (used with object)

1. to mark with blotches; blot, spot, or blur.

   The floor of the forest was blotched with cool, dark moss.

adjective

1. Textiles. of or relating to blotch printing, or to the colored ground produced by this process.

blotch British  

/ blɒtʃ /

noun

1. an irregular spot or discoloration, esp a dark and relatively large one such as an ink stain

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verb

1. to become or cause to become marked by such discoloration

2. (intr) (of a pen or ink) to write or flow unevenly in blotches

blotch Scientific  

/ blŏch /

1. Any of several plant diseases caused by fungi and resulting in brown or black dead areas on leaves or fruit.

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Etymology

Origin of blotch

1595–1605; perhaps blend of blot ¹ + botch ²

Example Sentences

I also had a little red blotch of skin, but as I said, my thighs rub together, so maybe it was nothing?

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2024

When consumptive Satine coughs into her handkerchief, she reveals the red blotch as any terminal operatic heroine knows to do.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2022

Vineyards at harvest time are a popular subject for photographers and romantics, but those beautiful red leaves betray a disease called red blotch virus.

From Washington Post • Feb. 10, 2022

Ross fishes a brown leather purse out of the reject box and pulls out the lining to reveal a big blue blotch.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 26, 2021

It was only when I caught sight of the red blotch on Mrs. Harker’s forehead that I was brought back to reality.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Related Words

• blemish
• blot