unblemished
Meaning
not damaged or marked in any way; perfect.
(of a person's reputation or character) free from any fault or flaw.
Structure
Usage
the fruit was unblemished and ripe.
she has maintained an unblemished reputation throughout her career.
the artist's unblemished record of success is remarkable.
Etymology
the word 'unblemished' is a compound formed within english. its core, 'blemish', entered middle english from old french blesmir, meaning 'to make pale, wound', which is likely of germanic origin, possibly related to old norse blár (blue, livid). the prefix 'un-', of old english origin, is a prolific negator. the suffix '-ed' is used to form participial adjectives. the literal construction "not marked by a flaw" directly and logically yields the modern abstract meanings of physical perfection or moral purity, preserving a clear semantic link from its constituent parts.
Analysis
- un: a prefix of germanic origin (old english) meaning "not". - blemish: a morpheme of germanic origin (old french blesmir, of germanic origin) meaning a flaw, mark, or imperfection. - ed: a suffix of germanic origin (old english) used to form adjectives from nouns or verbs.