stigmata
stigmata Lexical Profile
stigmata Game Scores & Validity
• noun
In Christian tradition, bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain appearing in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ, such as the hands, feet, and side.
"Historians of religion have documented numerous medieval mystics who reportedly bore the stigmata."
Visible physical signs, spots, or lesions on the body that are characteristic of a particular disease or medical condition.
"During the physical examination, the physician looked for cutaneous stigmata of chronic liver disease."
Plural form of stigma: marks of disgrace or infamy associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person, or the pollen-receptive parts of a flower's pistil.
"In many flowering plants, the stigmata are adapted to trap pollen grains carried by wind or insects."
Word Nuance & Usage
While "stigmata" is the classical plural of "stigma," in modern English "stigmata" is primarily reserved for the religious wounds of Christ or technical medical/botanical contexts, whereas "stigmas" is the standard plural for marks of social disgrace.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin stigmata, the plural of stigma, from Ancient Greek στίγμα (stígma, "a mark from a pointed instrument, a brand"), derived from στίζω (stízō, "I prick, mark, or tattoo").