mottled

adjective

mot·​tled ˈmä-tᵊld 

: marked with spots of different colors : having blotches of two or more colors

mottled tree bark

a mottled complexion

the bird's mottled plumage

A combination of red and blue pigments in the shell of a live lobster creates a mottled camouflage of indeterminate hue that blends in with the ocean floor.

—Kenneth Chang

Examples of mottled in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Common warning signs of sepsis can include confusion, rapid breathing, extreme weakness, low blood pressure, fast heart rate and bluish or mottled skin, per the CDC. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026

Spider mites, which are difficult to see with the naked eye, appear mostly in dry conditions and cause speckled or mottled leaves that later turn yellow. —Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 19 May 2026

Its fur was the mottled grey and russet brown of autumn leaves, the tip of its tail black, as if dipped in paint. —Literary Hub, 12 May 2026

Miss Freedom was now fleeing down the avenue, her mottled body almost airborne. —Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mottled

• mottled enamel

Rhymes for mottled

• bottled
• throttled