spotless

Everyday

1. Spotless means completely clean, without any dirt or marks. tree →
2. Spotless can also mean without any mistake or fault, as in "a spotless record". tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, parents ask for a spotless room or kitchen; restaurants and hospitals must be spotless for hygiene. In stories, a spotless house can show a very neat character. In sport or law, a spotless record means no mistakes or crimes. Phrases: "spotlessly clean", "a spotless record", "keep it spotless".

Examples

• After an hour of cleaning, the kitchen was spotless. tree →
• The nurse's uniform was spotless. tree →
• My nan keeps her house spotless. tree →
• Our team has a spotless record this season: no defeats. tree →
• The windows were so spotless that the bird flew into them. tree →
• (informal) My bedroom is never spotless, but it's tidy enough. tree →
• With his spotless hue, he resembled a snow drift, wafted along by the wind. tree →

Note

It is spot (a mark) + -less (without), so "without spots". "Spotlessly clean" is a common phrase. Opposite: dirty, grubby, filthy. Be careful: a spotless dog is not one without spotty fur; the word almost always means clean.