stipple

1 of 2

verb

stip·​ple ˈsti-pəl How to pronounce stipple (audio)
stippled; stippling ˈsti-p(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce stipple (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to engrave by means of dots and flicks
2
a
: to make by small short touches (as of paint or ink) that together produce an even or softly graded shadow
b
: to apply (something, such as paint) by repeated small touches
3
stippler noun

stipple

2 of 2

noun

: 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

Examples of stipple in a Sentence

Verb the sunlight falling through the lace curtain stippled her face
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Spider mites can stipple the foliage during hot, dry weather. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Nov. 2024 Unlike the wells that stipple his fiction, Murakami’s thoughts are not particularly deep. Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
Next, take a small detail brush and carefully stipple on flecks of dark brown or black polish to create an eggshell-like motif. Megan Decker, refinery29.com, 18 Mar. 2024 The black splotches were raised, like tiny hillocks, and covered in even tinier white stipples. Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2023 See all Example Sentences for stipple 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Dutch stippelen to spot, dot

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1762, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stipple was circa 1762

Dictionary Entries Near stipple

Cite this Entry

“Stipple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stipple. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

stipple

verb
stip·​ple
ˈstip-əl
stippled; stippling
-(ə-)liŋ
: to apply (as paint or ink) by repeated small touches
stipple noun
stippler
-(ə-)lər
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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