Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

1

speck

play
noun \ˈspek\

Definition of speck

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

  2. 2 :  a very small amount :  bit

  3. 3 :  something marked or marred with specks

specked

play \ˈspekt\ adjective

See speck defined for English-language learners

See speck defined for kids

Explore Merriam-Webster

decimate-video
Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?
alt-594ab41a604d2
Trending: Kim and Kanye Might Have Hired a Surrogate Mother
image2144101468
Better Ways to Say "This Sucks"
istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us
June 2017 Words of the Day Quiz

Examples of speck in a Sentence

  1. There was not a speck of dust anywhere.

  2. Soon the balloon was only a speck in the sky.

  3. She writes without a speck of humor.

Origin and Etymology of speck

Middle English specke, from Old English specca


First Known Use: before 12th century

speck Synonyms

Synonyms
blotch, dapple, dot, eyespot, fleck, mottle, patch, pip, point, spot, speckle, splotch
Related Words
birthmark, freckle, mole; blob, blot, mark, smear, smudge, smutch, stain; spatter, splash; polka dot
Near Antonyms
abundance, barrel, boatload, bucket, bundle, bushel, deal, fistful, gobs, heaps, lashings (also lashins) [chiefly British], loads, lot, mass, mess, mountain, much, oodles, passel, peck, pile, plenty, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, wad, wealth; volume; bonanza, embarrassment, excess, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, oversupply, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus; chunk, hunk, lump, slab
2

speck

verb

Definition of speck

  1. transitive verb

  2. :  to produce specks on or in

Examples of speck in a Sentence

  1. dirt that had specked the windows of the factory for ages

14th Century

First Known Use of speck

14th century

speck Synonyms

Synonyms
blotch, dapple, dot, fleck, freckle, marble, mottle, pepper, shoot, spot, speckle, splotch, sprinkle, stipple
Related Words
blot, dye, stain; band, bar, streak, stripe; intersperse, set, stud; bespatter, spatter

SPECK Defined for English Language Learners

speck

play
noun

Definition of speck for English Language Learners

  • : a very small piece or spot

  • : a very small amount

SPECK Defined for Kids

speck

play
noun \ˈspek\

Definition of speck for Students

  1. 1 :  a small spot or blemish

  2. 2 :  a very small amount :  bit a speck of dirt

Learn More about speck

  1. See words that rhyme with speck Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for speck Spanish Central: Translation of speck Nglish: Translation of speck for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of speck for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up speck? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

threshold

play

the point at which something begins

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. surrogate mother From TMZ to the dictionary.

  2. zealot A fanatical partisan

  3. stonewall to be uncooperative, obstructive, or evasive

  4. scurrilous Containing obscenities, abuse, or slander

  5. depose That word might not mean what you think it means.

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

speck

WORD GAMES

Take a 3-minute break and test your skills!

  • istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us
  • Which is a synonym of garner?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Bee Cubed

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

image2144101468
That Sucks Word Alternatives

Your day is the worst. Your vocabulary is the best.

alt-5931949575ca5
'All the Feels,' All the Time

Once more, with 'feels'

alt-59480e09b8844
A Pineapple Is An Apple (Kind Of)

Pineapple once had a different, more internationally common name.

alt-594938b88b98e
Read This to Get 'Smart'

A thinking person's guide

Ask the Editors

decimate-video
Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?

Language changes

serial-comma
The Serial Comma

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us
June 2017 Words of the Day Quiz

Summer's first WOTD quiz.

Take the quiz
alt-5941ad7527c3c
Yearbook Superlatives Quiz

Is that your picture under "Largest Vocabulary"?

Take the quiz
Name That Thing
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz
Bee Cubed
Bee Cubed

Listen to the words and spell through all three levels.

Play the game
Examples: speck in a Sentence