manchada

Manchada is the feminine form of the adjective manchado in Spanish, and of manchada in Portuguese. It means stained or spotted and is used to describe surfaces, fabrics, or objects that bear marks or discoloration, as well as metaphorical taints such as reputations or histories.

Etymology and form: the term derives from the noun mancha, meaning stain or blot, combined with the suffix -ada to form an adjective. It is used with feminine nouns (la camisa manchada, a mesa manchada) in both languages, while the masculine form would be manchado.

Usage in everyday language: manchada appears in phrases describing physical stains, for example, la camisa está manchada de vino (the shirt is stained with wine) or una mesa manchada de aceite. It can also function figuratively, as in una reputación manchada (a stained reputation) or una historia manchada, to convey taint or damage to character, integrity, or chronology.

Cross-linguistic notes: in both Spanish and Portuguese, manchada is widely understood and translates to stained or smeared in English. The word is predominantly a descriptive, common-use adjective and is less commonly found as a proper noun. In contemporary usage, its tone ranges from neutral to descriptive, depending on context, and it may appear in literature, journalism, or everyday speech to convey physical or moral blemishes.