speck

\ ˈspek

How to pronounce speck (audio)

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Definition of speck

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a small discoloration or spot especially from stain or decay

2 : a very small amount : bit

3 : something marked or marred with specks

speck

specked; specking; specks

Definition of speck (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to produce specks on or in

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Examples of speck in a Sentence

Noun There was not a speck of dust anywhere. Soon the balloon was only a speck in the sky. She writes without a speck of humor. Verb dirt that had specked the windows of the factory for ages

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun But for a few hours, at this speck on the map, strangers came together to celebrate a life. — Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, "‘Bumblebee! Bumblebee!’: A 4-year-old got an epic surprise, and the strangers who gave it to him got something, too," 11 Sep. 2019 The Islamic State saw its territory shrink from an area the size of Britain to a speck in the Euphrates River valley. — Zeina Karam, Twin Cities, "Islamic State leader leaves a legacy of terror," 27 Oct. 2019 The Islamic State suffered steady battlefield losses that saw its territory shrink from an area the size of Britain to a speck in the Euphrates River valley. — Washington Post, "Islamic State leader leaves a legacy of terror," 27 Oct. 2019 The Islamic State suffered steady battlefield losses that saw its territory shrink from an area the size of Britain to a speck in the Euphrates River valley. — Author: Adam Schreck And Zeina Karam, Anchorage Daily News, "Islamic State leader leaves a legacy of terror," 27 Oct. 2019 Carlo’s even covered in Calgary, where there’s nary a speck in a sea of red. — BostonGlobe.com, "How the Bruins stay in the right frame of mind - The Boston Globe," 25 Oct. 2019 In part, because its jungle covered mountains and winding rivers mean this speck in the West Indies has exactly the type of wild terrain adventure wellness travelers are looking for. — Erin Florio, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Hottest New Hotel Openings of Fall 2019," 1 Oct. 2019 Meats: Cured meats in particular are great choices, all kinds of sausages and salumis (fancy word for the salami family) and hams (prosciutto and soppressata on this board, speck is another good choice). — Katie Workman, NBC News, "Think beyond your basic pepperoni and cheddar. Here's how to build the snacky graze board of your dreams.," 12 Dec. 2019 That ruled out the possibility that the speck was unlucky camera noise. — New York Times, "A Billion Pixels and the Search for India’s Crashed Moon Lander," 2 Dec. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The 656-foot vessel, called the Golden Ray, has been lying since early September off a slice of the Georgia coast specked with resorts and sprawling high-dollar homes. — New York Times, "After a Giant Ship Goes Belly Up, Many Fear a Shoreline Is Next," 16 Nov. 2019 Now, their territory has fewer than 1,000 residents and consists of about 7,300 acres, with roads wandering through woods specked with modest family homes. — New York Times, "A Story of Survival Revived by the Cicadas’ Loud (and Crunchy) Return," 22 June 2018 For all its strengths, though, the series proves a bit of a slog, at times, as the wheels turn along the dusty, blood-specked road to wherever this maze leads. — Brian Lowry, CNN, "'Westworld' remains easy to admire, harder to like in new season," 19 Apr. 2018 To get into the spirit, order a ginger beer and rock shrimp fritters, fried balls of doughy goodness specked with bell pepper and spices that come steaming hot with a side of spicy mayo. — Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, "Best New Restaurant #10: River Bistro, Detroit," 12 Feb. 2018 Moonchild is specked with obvious glitter, which could be a deterrent for some. — Devon Abelman, Allure, "This Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Glow Kit Alternative Is a Quarter of the Price," 15 Sep. 2017 The majority of it, however, was specked with red SALE signs, noting that the red, white, and blue a-line miniskirt was 40 percent off (from $80 to $53.40) and white sculpting mid-rise skinny jeans (from $89 to $36.60). — Emily Jane Fox, vanityfair.com, "Fear and Loathing in Bedminster: On the Ground in the Quiet, Bucolic Town Where Donald Trump Is Toying with Blowing Up the World," 10 Aug. 2017 The majority of it, however, was specked with red SALE signs, noting that the red, white, and blue a-line miniskirt was 40 percent off (from $80 to $53.40) and white sculpting mid-rise skinny jeans (from $89 to $36.60). — Emily Jane Fox, The Hive, "Fear and Loathing in Bedminster: On the Ground in the Quiet, Bucolic Town Where Donald Trump Is Toying with Blowing Up the World," 10 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'speck.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near speck

specious present

Statistics for speck

Last Updated

14 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Speck.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speck. Accessed 26 January 2020.

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