US /dɪˈfeɪs/ UK /dɪˈfeɪs/
verb

Meanings

  1. 1
    verb

    to spoil the surface or appearance of

    Vandals defaced the monument with spray paint.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 verb · to spoil the surface or... disfiguremarvandalizespoilmutilateblemishscardamage
Word family
Forms undefaced
Derived forms defacementdefacerdefaceddefacing
Related forms faceeffacesurface

Etymology

From Old French desfacier ('to disfigure, destroy the face of'), from des- ('away, un-') + face ('face'), ultimately from Latin facies ('appearance, face').

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