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

The designs include a bright orange mug, a white mug with orange dots and a to-go iced coffee cup complete with an orange straw, white speckles and a tiny orange pumpkin detail. — Carly Sauvageau, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026

Devil’s Den State Park, Arkansas Wood and stone structures erected by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s speckle the rugged landscape of Devil’s Den State Park. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026

Verb

They are best eaten when their skin is speckled with black spots or fully dark. — Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 July 2026

Right after this first bench, the trail is speckled with rocks that reminded me of dinosaur eggs or little bits of the moon. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026

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