marcada

Marcada is a term used in Spanish and Portuguese as a feminine form of the adjective marcado and as the feminine past participle of marcar. It denotes that something has a mark, sign, or distinguishing feature, or that it has been designated or identified in some way. The root idea is mark or designation, shared by both languages.

In everyday language, marcada describes tangible or symbolic marks. Examples include a cicatriz marcada (a scar marked by time) or una piel marcada (skin bearing marks). It can also describe entities that have been singled out or labeled, such as una ruta marcada en el mapa (a route marked on the map) or a característica marcada de una persona (a notable feature of a person). Grammatically, marcada agrees with the noun it modifies (la marca marcada, las señales marcadas).

In Portuguese, marcada functions similarly as an adjective and past participle. It appears in contexts like "uma cicatriz marcada" or "riscos marcados," conveying visible or deliberate markings, as well as in figurative senses such as being clearly identified or distinguished.

In music and notation, the related concept marcato is more common, indicating a strongly accented or emphasized note. Some editions or translations of scores may render a marcato instruction with a form close to marcada to convey emphasis, though marcato remains the standard term in most contexts.

See also: marcado, marca, marcação, marcação sonora, marcato (Italian).