as in specks
a very small piece
there's not a mote of dirt in that woman's house
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Recent Examples of motes
Sunbeams through the windows illuminate floating dust motes—and, imperceptibly, microdroplets of mucus carrying the measles virus, expelled from an infected but asymptomatic child who is hopping and laughing among the others.
—
Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Easily swept up by wind and carried long distances by water, these tiny motes are also exceedingly difficult to detect and almost impossible to remove from the environment.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Jan. 2026
There’s a Gambit-adjacent one that has players depositing motes while killing other teams.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
The sensors’ small size allows seamless integration into almost any environment, while the wireless, modular design lets motes be added or removed as needed depending on the application.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2025
Powering and recording signals from multiple motes will require new techniques and better signal processing.
—Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Oct. 2016
Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Easily swept up by wind and carried long distances by water, these tiny motes are also exceedingly difficult to detect and almost impossible to remove from the environment.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Jan. 2026
There’s a Gambit-adjacent one that has players depositing motes while killing other teams.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
The sensors’ small size allows seamless integration into almost any environment, while the wireless, modular design lets motes be added or removed as needed depending on the application.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2025
Powering and recording signals from multiple motes will require new techniques and better signal processing.
—Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Oct. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motes
Noun
-
Tiny beads of blood had seeped out and dried into tiny specks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Also known as sunspots, solar lentigines, or liver spots, age spots are additional specks and bits of pigment caused by excessive sun exposure.—
Essence,
Essence,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These particles are covered with tiny chain-like structures that interact with metal ions in solution.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Existing particles will now obey new laws of physics, and so existing structures will be destroyed and replaced by new structures that obey different laws.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That, plus distinct green (herbs) and black (pepper) flecks, made this contender feel higher-end, inspiring us to declare Trader Joe’s the best ranch dressing overall.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
11 Feb. 2026
-
As Dracula, Jones is giddy and joyous with flecks of depravity bursting through as the plot expands to include his ethereal bond with Harker’s fiancée, Mina Murray (also Bleu).—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Offered in different flavors, the Strawberry Granola Bites feature a burst of fruity goodness, while the Chocolate Chip Granola Bites combine bits of sweetness with a wholesome mix of oats.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The cookie crumble bits are perfect.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The grains were slick with soy sauce, each one caramelized and tinged with smoke.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
And when paired with grains—think beans and rice, lentils with bread, or chickpeas with couscous—pulses become a satisfying base for everyday meals.—
Bridget Shirvell,
Martha Stewart,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Intended as a complete coating, the layers usually fragment into inhomogeneous patches during electrode processing, thereby affecting battery performance.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Many Americans came to depend on the subsidies, which were simply patches over the gaps in a health care system that may feel duct-taped together, and not really working for patients, providers or insurers.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The team used a durable industrial plastic called nylon‑11 that, unlike common nylons, can generate electricity from pressure when its molecules are carefully aligned, according to a press release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Humectants are molecules that are able to bind to and retain water, which is why they are often used in lotions and moisturizers.—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In this week’s show, there were slinky fabrics and macho outerwear, and scraps of fur over jersey dresses clinging to terrific asses of all sizes.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
-
On Christmas Eve, 125 volunteers turned out to pick up insulation and other scraps of debris the storm left in its wake.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motes. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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