fleck

1 of 2

verb

ˈflek 

flecked; flecking; flecks

transitive verb

1

: streak, spot

whitecaps flecked the blue sea

2

: to color as if by sprinkling with flecks

his wit is flecked with sarcasm

—James Atlas

fleck

2 of 2

noun

1

: spot, mark

a brown tweed with flecks of yellow

2

: flake, particle

flecks of snow drifted down

Synonyms

Verb

• sprinkle
• dot
• stain
• pepper
• speck

Noun

• speck
• dot
• blotch
• patch

Examples of fleck in a Sentence

Verb

She flecked the canvas with blue paint.

to achieve the desired effect, fleck the canvas with paint simply by flicking the brush close to the surface

Noun

a brown cloth with flecks of yellow

The police found flecks of blood on his clothes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The gentle, softening formula (one of its five ingredients is glycerin) cuts through multiple coats of polish and wipes away even the clingiest glitter flecks, all without stripping your nails of every last ounce of moisture. —Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025

Éclairs with glossy chocolate tops, macarons in muted pastels that feel like edible architecture, madeleines flecked with salt or spice. —Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025

Noun

This uncanny coincidence — that the Earth’s radiation lines up with the energies of carbon dioxide’s mixed vibrational/rotational quantum state — is how this tiny trace of molecules, mere flecks in the air, completely dominates our climate. —Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025

Its black and white or brown flecks convey a fresh, modern feel that's ideal for breaking away from the tyranny of basics. —María Munsuri, Glamour, 24 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from flecked spotted, from Middle English; akin to Old High German flec spot, Old Norse flekkr

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fleck

• beck
• breck
• check
• cheque
• czech
• deck
• keck
• mech
• neck
• peck
• reck
• sec

Kids Definition

fleck

1 of 2 verb

ˈflek 

: streak entry 2 sense 1, spot

fleck

2 of 2 noun

1

: spot entry 1 sense 2a, mark

2

: flake entry 1, particle