Plamka

Plamka is a Polish noun meaning a small spot, patch, or stain. It is derived from the noun plama (stain) with the diminutive suffix -ka, which conveys smallness or familiarity. The word is used across everyday language and technical contexts to denote a discrete mark of color, pigment, or dirt.

In ordinary speech, plamka describes a tiny mark on an object, such as a speck of dust, a stain on clothing, or a blemish on skin. The plural form is plamki, used for multiple spots, as in “plamki na obrazie” (spots on the painting).

In anatomy and medicine, the term occurs in fixed expressions. The most common is plamka żółta, the macula lutea of the retina, a yellowish central area responsible for high-acuity vision. Diseases such as zwyrodnienie plamki żółtej (age-related macular degeneration) can impair central vision.

In biology and zoology, plamka describes color patches or markings on organisms, such as spots on insect wings or on leaves and petals. The word can also appear in describing pigment patterns in textiles, pottery, and art, where a plamka indicates a small decorative dot or blot.

Throughout Polish usage, plamka remains a neutral term for a discrete mark, used with adjectives specifying color, position, or context. Related terms include plama (a larger stain) and plamki (plural).