a maculate + noun
作定语放在名词前，属于书面、少见的用法，多指表面有斑点或污迹。
The maculate leaves suggest that the plant is diseased.
这些有斑点的叶子说明这株植物生病了。
有斑点的；有污迹的；道德污点；污秽或不纯；有斑点或污点的；有斑点的；有污点的
道德污点；污秽或不纯
morally blemished; stained or impure
有斑点或污点的
spotted or blotched
The once-white tablecloth was now maculate with wine stains.
原本白色的桌布现在沾满了酒渍，变得有污点了。
用法提示：maculate作为形容词，描述桌布有污点。
Her maculate reputation prevented her from getting the job.
她有污点的名声使她未能得到这份工作。
用法提示：maculate作为形容词，修饰reputation表示有污点。
The biologist examined the maculate leaves for signs of disease.
生物学家检查了有斑点的叶子寻找病害迹象。
用法提示：maculate作为形容词，描述叶子有斑点。
作定语放在名词前，属于书面、少见的用法，多指表面有斑点或污迹。
The maculate leaves suggest that the plant is diseased.
这些有斑点的叶子说明这株植物生病了。
作表语时多用于抽象的“道德上有污点”之义，语气正式。
His career was maculate from the very beginning.
他的职业生涯从一开始就带有道德污点。
grammar · medium
易错句子She wanted the living room to look maculate for the guests.
正确表达She wanted the living room to look immaculate for the guests.
maculate 表示“有污点的、不洁的”，而 immaculate 才是“一尘不染的”。im- 是否定前缀，不能把 maculate 当成 immaculate 的肯定形式；表示“干净无瑕”必须用 immaculate。
grammar · medium
易错句子The doctor noticed several maculates on the patient's skin.
正确表达The doctor noticed several spots on the patient's skin.
maculate 是形容词，不能加 -s 作可数名词。英语中表示“斑点”的名词是 spot（或 mark），所以要把 maculates 改成 spots。
两词词形只差否定前缀 im-，意思却相反：immaculate 指毫无污点，既可指道德清白，也可指极为干净；maculate 才是“有污点的、不洁的”。要表达“无瑕”只能用 immaculate，写成 maculate 会把意思说反。
spotted 只客观描述表面带斑点这一可见特征，日常口语常用；maculate 更书面、更正式、也更少见，且除“有斑点”外还常指道德上的污点。说动物皮毛或布料的花斑一般用 spotted，不用 maculate。
tainted 强调因接触不良事物而被污染，多用于食物、证据、名声等，含“被外物弄脏”的因果过程；maculate 是文雅的书面形容词，可直接修饰名誉或品格，本身不强调污染来源。谈证据、食品受污染时用 tainted 更自然。
im-（不）+ maculate（有斑点的）
immaculate + -ly（副词后缀）
拉丁语 macula（斑点），是 maculate 的词根
maculate + -ion（名词后缀）
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