marked

Having a visible or identifying mark.

Adjective

  1. Having a visible or identifying mark.

    1. (of a playing card) Having a secret mark on the back for cheating.

  2. Clearly evident; noticeable; conspicuous.
    • The eighth century BC saw a marked increase in the general wealth of Cyprus.
    • In ancient times, the Romans imported truffles, credited with marked aphrodisiac virtue, from Libya as well as Greece. - 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 137:
    • The drop in merchandise and mineral receipts again reflects the fall in steel output, most marked in the North-East; […]. - 1962 October, “Talking of Trains: Little passenger traffic and less freight”, in Modern...

    Synonyms: manifest noticeable obtrusive palpable patent noted

  3. Distinguished by a positive feature.
    • "Young" is the marked element of the old/young pair, since the usual way of asking someone's age is "How old are you?".
    • It is frequently the case that of two units in contrast (and for simplicity we may restrict ourselves to two-term contrasts) one will be positive, or marked, the other being neutral, or unmarked. […] The plural is...

    Synonyms: singled out targeted positive

    Antonyms: unmarked

  4. Singled out; suspicious; treated with hostility; the object of vengeance.
    • A marked man.
    • My secret terror for the last six months has been leaving them on the Moon and returning to Earth alone; now I am within minutes of finding out the truth of the matter. If they fail to rise from the surface, or crash...
  5. In police livery, as opposed to unmarked. (of a police vehicle)

Origin

From mark (“sign, characteristic, visible impression”) + -ed. Less common disyllabic pronunciation (/ˈmɑː.kɪd/) is likely an analogy derived from markedness (explaining its restriction to sense 2).

Forms

more marked most marked markèd

Synonyms

distinct marked patterned

Antonyms

unmarked plain spotless

Hyponyms

question-marked pockmarked Spock-marked discolored variegated banded crisscross lineated plashy ringed speckled spotted streaked striped

Derived

fork-marked lemur handmarked markedly markedness marked-up nonmarked premarked radiomarked thumbmarked

Verb

  1. simple past and past participle of mark

Origin

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.