Scars
/skɑrz/
nounverbB1plural (for noun), third person singular present or past tense (for verb depending on context)
Definition
A scar is a mark that stays on the skin after a cut, burn, or injury has healed. Scars show where the body was hurt but has fixed itself. The word can also mean emotional marks, like feelings or memories that stay after a sad or hard experience.
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See It in Action
Physical marks on skin or surfaces after injury
- •The scar on her arm was from a childhood accident.
- •He has many scars from working with sharp tools.
- •The tree’s bark had scars from old storms.
Emotional or psychological lasting effects
- •Losing a close friend left deep scars in his heart.
- •The experience of failure left emotional scars she still feels.
- •War survivors often carry scars that are not visible.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "scars" like "marks," but marks that last a long time after the skin or feelings heal.
- ✓Picture a small line on your skin where you got a cut a long time ago—this line is a scar.
- ✓It's the feeling when you remember a sad event that still affects you inside, like a scar on your heart.
- ✓Sounds like "cars" → Imagine cars driving over a road that is rough and has many scars (bumps and marks).
- ✓Think of a story where a hero has a scar from a battle, showing their past struggles and strength.
- ✓NOT like "bruise" (a temporary skin color change), scars last much longer and are permanent.
- ✓NOT like "wound" (a fresh injury), scars are what remain after wounds heal.
- ✓NOT like "pain" (a feeling), scars are the visible or lasting signs left by pain or injury.
Try Other Words
- •Mark: a visible spot or sign (Use when the sign is not necessarily from injury or healing)
- •Wound: an injury or cut (Use when talking about fresh or open injuries, not healed marks)
- •Blemish: a small imperfection or flaw (Use when the mark is small and often cosmetic, not from deep injury)
- •Injury: harm or damage to body (Use when focusing on the hurt, not the healed sign)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "scar" (root) + "s" (plural suffix for more than one)
- •Etymology: From Old Norse "skarð" meaning a cut or notch
- •Historical development: Originally meant a cut or notch, later used for marks left after wounds heal
- •Modern usage: Used for physical marks on skin and metaphorically for lasting emotional or mental effects
Reflect & Connect
•How do physical scars and emotional scars differ in how they affect people’s lives?
•Can scars be seen as signs of strength or weakness? Why do you think that?
Fill in the blanks
1.Scars often appear after the skin ___ from a cut or burn.
2.Emotional scars can ___ a person long after the event is over.
3.Unlike a fresh wound, scars are ___ signs of past injury.
4.People sometimes feel proud of their scars because they ___ a story.
5.Scars on the skin usually ___ slowly over time but do not disappear completely.
6.When someone talks about scars, they can mean visible marks or ___ feelings.
7.Unlike bruises, scars are ___ and do not change color quickly.