Macula
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 An oval yellow spot near the center of the retina of the human eye, histologically defined as having two or more layers of ganglion cells, responsible for detailed central vision.
- 2 a patch of skin that is discolored but not usually elevated; caused by various diseases wordnet
- 3 A small chamber of the inner ear of certain vertebrates filled with endolymph and containing an otolith.
- 4 a small yellowish central area of the retina that is rich in cones and that mediates clear detailed vision wordnet
- 5 A spot, as on the skin, or on the surface of the sun or of some other luminous orb.
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- 6 a cooler darker spot appearing periodically on the sun's photosphere; associated with a strong magnetic field wordnet
- 7 A rather large spot or blotch of color.
- 8 In planetary geology, an unusually dark area on the surface of a planet or moon.
Example
More examples"Research has shown that UV radiation increases the likelihood of certain cataracts. Although curable with modern eye surgery, cataracts diminish the eyesight of millions of Americans and cost billions of dollars in medical care each year. Other kinds of eye damage include pterygium (tissue growth that can block vision), skin cancer around the eyes, and degeneration of the macula (the part of the retina where visual perception is most acute). All of these problems can be lessened with proper eye protection. Look for sunglasses, glasses or contact lenses if you wear them, that offer 99 to 100 percent UV protection."
Etymology
From Middle English macula (“spot on the skin or in the eye”), borrowed from Latin macula (“spot, stain”). Doublet of macchia and macule.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.