spotted

adjective

spot·​ted ˈspä-təd 

1

: marked with spots

2

: being sullied : tarnished

3

: characterized by the appearance of spots

Synonyms

• dotted

Examples of spotted in a Sentence

the spotted tablecloth clashed with the stripes on the wallpaper

not surprisingly, the white cow and black bull had a spotted calf

Recent Examples on the Web

An invasive planthopper native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly is thought to have entered the U.S. via egg masses on a stone shipment in 2012, according to Cornell Integrated Pest Management. —Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 25 Aug. 2025

The shoe got endorsements from celebrities early on after their rerelease, with stars like Dua Lipa, Emily Ratajkowski and more spotted wearing it. —Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 8 Aug. 2025

Remember, each drop can do this, so many times, the whole plant can look like a spotted mess. —Dr. Matthew Lisy, Hartford Courant, 2 Aug. 2025

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the spotted lanternfly can cause damage, including oozing sap, wilting, leaf curling and dieback to trees, crops, vines and other plants. —Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 29 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing spotted

• northern spotted owl
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• spotted alfalfa aphid
• spotted cucumber beetle
• spotted dick
• spotted fever
• spotted hyena
• spotted knapweed
• spotted lantern fly
• spotted owl
• spotted salamander
• spotted sea trout
• spotted turtle
• two-spotted spider mite

Rhymes for spotted

• blotted
• clotted
• dotted
• jotted
• knotted
• plotted
• potted
• rotted
• slotted
• squatted
• swatted
• trotted

Kids Definition

spotted

adjective

spot·​ted

ˈspät-əd

: marked with spots

a spotted cat