Damaged or spoiled the appearance of something, especially by writing, scratching, or marking on it.
From Old French 'deface' combining 'de-' (to undo) and 'face' (appearance). Used since medieval times to mean ruining the face or surface of something.
Historians actually love studying defaced monuments and artworks—the damage often tells a story about which regime erased whom, revealing hidden history that documents don't capture.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.