1
: a colored spot
2
a
: a surface having colored spots or blotches
b
: the presence or arrangement of such spots or blotches on a surface
One way to overcome mottle is to select an ink that is … uniformly absorbed …—
Nelson R. Eldred
Nelson R. Eldred3
mottled; mottling
ˈmät-liŋ 
ˈmä-tᵊl-iŋ
: to mark with spots or blotches of different color or shades of color as if stained
mot·tler
ˈmätᵊlə(r)
-ät(ᵊ)l-
plural -s
: one that mottles (as in dyeing or ceramics)
specifically
: a brush for producing a mottled surface
Examples of mottle in a Sentence
Noun (1)
canvases covered with streaks and mottles
Verb
old papers that were mottled by mold
Recent Examples on the Web
New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026
As branching coral look-alikes, the cuttlefish splayed out their arms and displayed dark mottles to blend in with staghorn coral.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
Ari Daniel, NPR, 11 June 2026
The sides may be mottled with brown blotches.
—Ken Perrotte, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mottle
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Noun
Turn the mottle of ideas in your head into coherent communicable paragraphs.
—New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026
As branching coral look-alikes, the cuttlefish splayed out their arms and displayed dark mottles to blend in with staghorn coral.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
The mosquito, mottled in neon pink and purple, can be seen on a nearby computer screen.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 11 June 2026
The sides may be mottled with brown blotches.
—Ken Perrotte, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Cite this Entry
“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mottle. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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