blind spot
1
4.8
- noun
- /blaɪnd spɑt/
- Specialized
:
punto ciego
- A blind spot occurs naturally in all eyes at the small area where the optic nerve enters the eye.
- a large blind spot
Examples
-
Persons with retinal blind spots have less information about the area of the blind spot, but they do not perceive it as a gap in their environment.
Academic text (2009) -
The cells at the center of my retinas no longer function, giving me a larger than average blind spot.
Academic text (1996) -
Lots of expensive tests and doctor bills later, I'm now on high blood pressure medication and learning to live with a blind spot in my right eye.
Blog text (33) -
The other design problem in the vertebrate eye is that there's a blind spot where the nerves then go through the retina to get to the brain.
-
Each human retina has a blind spot roughly a millimeter in diameter.
-
The optic nerve connects to the brain through a hole in the retina, causing a blind spot.
Synonyms
1
7.1
A round area at the back of the eye where the optic nerve enters and has no light-sensing cells
1
9.9
A blind spot in your vision
How Severe
70
3.1
- Specialized
1
9.9
- Specialized
1
9.9
- Specialized
1
4.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an area lacking awareness or understanding' is directly compositional from 'blind' (without perception) + 'spot' (a particular place), so a B1 learner who knows both words can reasonably infer the metaphorical extension to cognitive or perceptual gaps. This pattern is cross-linguistically common (e.g., Spanish 'punto ciego'), making the expression immediately accessible rather than idiomatic.
Etymology
Blind spot comes from the eye. It names a small spot where a nerve leaves the eye and there are no light cells, so you 'cannot see' that tiny point.