# mar

Pronunciation: US say "MAHR" /mɑɹ/; UK say "MAH" /mɑː(ɹ)/

## Verb

1. To damage or spoil something, making it worse or ruining it altogether.
   - Simple: To spoil or damage something, so that it is not as good as before.
   - _A long scar marred his otherwise handsome face._
   - _Poor sound quality can mar even the best live recording._

## Proper noun · Mar

2. Short for March: the third month of the year, used especially in written dates. — Abbreviation of March.
   - Simple: Short for March: the third month of the year, used in written dates.
   - _The museum is closed from Jan. 2 to Mar. 15 for repairs._
   - _Her passport expires on Mar. 9, 2031._

## Noun

3. A mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something.
   - Simple: A mark or damaged spot that spoils how something looks.
   - _Light sanding removed the mars from the old oak floor._
   - _The only mar on the antique dresser is a faint ring left by a glass._

## Other meanings

- (noun) A Syriac title of respect, given to every saint and also placed before the Christian names of bishops.

## Origin

Old English mierran, which meant "to disturb, confuse, waste, hinder, err", was passed down into Middle English as merren. It traces to Proto-Germanic *marzijaną ("to disturb, hinder") and then to Proto-Indo-European *mers-, meaning "to annoy, disturb, neglect, forget". Relatives include Scots mar ("to obstruct, spoil"), Dutch marren ("to delay, hinder") and Gothic marzjan ("to annoy, disturb, offend").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/mar (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).