Definition

1. Noun:

   • A small spot, mark, or patch of a different color or texture: A "speckle" is a tiny contrasting part on a surface, often one of many, creating a pattern of small dots or flecks.

2. Verb:

   • To mark or be marked with small spots: The action of covering something with or appearing as small, scattered spots of color or light.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The bird's egg had a beautiful pattern of brown speckles.
  • Granite often contains dark speckles within the lighter stone.

• Verb:

  • The artist speckled the canvas with flecks of gold paint.
  • Sunlight speckled the forest floor through the leaves.

Advanced Usage

• "To be speckled with": To be covered or dotted with small marks.
  • The old manuscript was speckled with age spots.
  • The meadow was speckled with wildflowers.

Variants and Related Words

• Speckled (adj): Covered with speckles.

  • We saw a speckled trout in the stream.

• Speck (n): An even smaller spot or particle, often of dirt or color.

  • There wasn't a speck of dust in the room.

Synonyms

• Noun: Fleck, dot, spot, speck, mottle, stipple.
• Verb: Fleck, dot, spot, stipple, bespeckle, mottle.

Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions

(This word is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meaning is typically expressed directly.)

Related Idioms

(There are no common idioms that centrally feature the word "speckle".)

Noun

1. a small contrasting part of something
   • a bald spot
   • a leopard's spots
   • a patch of clouds
   • patches of thin ice
   • a fleck of red

Verb

1. mark with small spots
   • speckle the wall with tiny yellow spots
2. produce a mottled effect
   • The sunlight stippled the trees