macula
Americannoun
plural
maculae-
a spot or blotch, especially on one's skin; macule.
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Ophthalmology.
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an opaque spot on the cornea.
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Also called macula lutea, yellow spot. an irregularly oval, yellow-pigmented area on the central retina, containing color-sensitive rods and the central point of sharpest vision.
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noun
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a small spot or area of distinct colour, esp the macula lutea
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any small discoloured spot or blemish on the skin, such as a freckle
plural
maculae-
A minute yellowish area located near the center of the retina of the eye, at which visual perception is most acute.
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A discolored spot on the skin that is not elevated above the surface.
Other Word Forms
- macular adjective
- multimacular adjective
Etymology
Origin of macula
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin: spot, blemish
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The disease affects the macula, a small area at the center of the retina that is essential for sharp, detailed vision.
From Science Daily • Jan. 9, 2026
Age-related macular degeneration is a condition that gradually damages the macula, the small but vital area at the back of the eye that supports sharp central vision.
From Science Daily • Nov. 22, 2025
As chair of her local macula support group, she said many in her position share the same concerns.
From BBC • Sep. 19, 2024
But mouse retinas lack the macula, a key region found in human eyes that picks out fine details, so they are not an ideal model.
From Scientific American • Aug. 8, 2022
P. rufo-testacea antennis scutello pedibusque atro-cyaneis, capite puncto verticali, thorace macula posticali, elytris punctato-striatis maculis duabus anticis cruceque apicali atro-cyaneis, abdomine subtus atro-cyaneo limbo rufo.
From Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Performed between the years 1818 and 1822 — Volume 2 by King, Phillip Parker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
