blister

1 of 2

noun

blis·​ter ˈbli-stər 

plural blisters

1

: a fluid-filled elevation of the epidermis compare water blister

2

: an enclosed raised spot (as in paint or the surface of baked dough) resembling a blister

3

: an agent (such as lewisite) that causes blistering

4

: a fungal disease of plants marked by raised patches on the leaves

5

: any of various structures that bulge out (such as a gunner's compartment on a bomber)

blistery

ˈbli-st(ə-)rē 

adjective

blister

2 of 2

verb

blistered; blistering ˈbli-st(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

: to become affected with a blister

transitive verb

1

: to raise a blister on

2

: lambaste sense 2

3

: to defeat (a competitor) decisively

… Brodeur was blistered in the early rounds by lightly regarded teams … before backstopping New Jersey to the championship last season.

—Kostya Kennedy

4

: to hit (a ball, shot, etc.) very powerfully

… Soriano blistered a line drive toward left field.

—Buster Olney

Examples of blister in a Sentence

Noun

She developed a blister on her heel where her shoe rubbed against it.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Mesh around the midfoot vents tons of heat, and a little padding in the toe and heel adds comfort and fights blisters. —Jakob Schiller, Outside Online, 1 Nov. 2024

The sort of heels that would wrack your feet with cuts, bruises, and blisters — to name a few of the damages women used to tolerate, albeit torturously. —Tiffany Leigh, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

Verb

That includes blistering winds, snowy mornings, and late-night temperature drops that require a new level of layering techniques and transitional separates to survive unscathed. —Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2024

Banchero, the 2022-23 Rookie of the Year, has enjoyed a blistering start to the campaign and recorded the first 50-point game of his career in a win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday. —Matias Grez, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English blister, blester, probably from Old English *blȳster, *blǣster; akin to Old Norse blāstr swelling, Old English blǣst blast

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing blister

• blister beetle
• blister card
• blister pack
• blister rust
• fever blister
• water blister
• white-pine blister rust

Kids Definition

blister

1 of 2 noun

blis·​ter ˈblis-tər 

1

: a raised area of the outer skin containing liquid compare water blister

2

: a raised spot (as in paint) resembling a blister

3

: something that causes blistering

4

: any of various structures (as a gunner's compartment on an airplane) that bulge out

blistery

-t(ə-)rē 

adjective

blister

2 of 2 verb

blistered; blistering -t(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to develop a blister : rise in blisters

2

: to raise a blister on

Medical Definition

blister

1 of 2 noun

blis·​ter ˈblis-tər 

1

: a fluid-filled elevation of the epidermis compare water blister

2

: an agent that causes blistering

blistery

-t(ə-)rē 

adjective

blister

2 of 2 verb

blistered; blistering -t(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

: to become affected with blisters

transitive verb

: to raise a blister on