Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

1

stipple

play
verb stip·ple \ˈsti-pəl\

Definition of stipple

stippled

;

stippling

play \-p(ə-)liŋ\
  1. transitive verb

  2. 1 :  to engrave by means of dots and flicks

  3. 2a :  to make by small short touches (as of paint or ink) that together produce an even or softly graded shadowb :  to apply (something, such as paint) by repeated small touches

  4. 3 :  speckle, fleck

stippler

play \-p(ə-)lər\ noun

See stipple defined for English-language learners

See stipple defined for kids

Explore M-W

image599301899
Pretty in 'Pink'
istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us
June 2017 Words of the Day Quiz
decimate-video
Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?
alt-594ab41a604d2
Trending: Kim and Kanye Might Have Hired a Surrogate Mother

Examples of stipple in a Sentence

  1. the sunlight falling through the lace curtain stippled her face

Origin and Etymology of stipple

Dutch stippelen to spot, dot

stipple Synonyms

Synonyms
blotch, dapple, dot, fleck, freckle, marble, mottle, pepper, shoot, speck, speckle, splotch, sprinkle, spot
Related Words
blot, dye, stain; band, bar, streak, stripe; intersperse, set, stud; bespatter, spatter
2

stipple

noun stip·ple

Definition of stipple

  1. :  production of gradation of light and shade in graphic art by stippling small points, larger dots, or longer strokes; also :  an effect produced in this way

First Known Use of stipple

1837

STIPPLE Defined for English Language Learners

stipple

play
verb

Definition of stipple for English Language Learners

  • : to draw or paint small dots on (something)

Learn More about stipple

  1. See words that rhyme with stipple Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stipple

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up stipple? 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

perspicuous

play

clear to the understanding

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

stipple

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?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Syn City

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

alt-594bf2ec5f26e
Quick: Read This!

'Quick' once had a very different meaning

alt-594d2b6325245
'Pride': The Word That Went From Vice to Strength

Do you take pride in Pride?

image599301899
Pink: The Color that Will Change Your Life

From Fuchsia to Baker-Miller Pink

image2144101468
That Sucks Word Alternatives

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

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
Spell It
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Take the quiz
Syn City
Syn City

Build a city of skyscrapers—one synonym at a time.

Play the game
Examples: stipple in a Sentence