speckle

1 of 2

noun

speck·​le ˈspe-kəl 

: a little speck (as of color)

speckle

2 of 2

verb

speckled; speckling ˈspe-k(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to mark with speckles

2

: to be distributed in or on like speckles

Synonyms of speckle

Noun

• fleck
• speck
• dot
• blotch
• patch

Verb

• sprinkle
• dot
• stain
• pepper
• fleck
• dye
• speck

Examples of speckle in a Sentence

Noun

a ripe banana with lots of brown speckles

the cat has a speckle of orange right at her whiskers

Verb

speckled the cookies with colored sugar

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Their belly is white with black speckles while their wings and back are black with white. —Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025

The most prosaic explanation is that Villarroel’s transients are simply artifacts in the photographic plates such as speckles of dust, blobs in the emulsion or even radioactive particles. —Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2025

Verb

Their mountain cuisine is built on elemental processes, like fire and fermentation, and makes use of wild herbs, freshwater fish, game meats, and cheeses crafted in the malghe, the seasonal dairy farms that speckle the hillsides. —Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2025

Inside, a long, gray bar — speckled like the surface of the moon — sits near a hi-fi stereo system. —Kansas City Star, 26 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English; akin to Old English specca

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing speckle

• speckle interferometry

Rhymes for speckle

• decal
• freckle
• meckel
• shekel
• thecal

Kids Definition

speckle

1 of 2 noun

speck·​le ˈspek-əl 

: a small mark (as of color)

speckle

2 of 2 verb

speckled; speckling ˈspek-(ə-)liŋ 

: to mark with speckles