mottle

verb
UK: /ˈmɒt.əl/
US: /ˈmɑː.t̬əl/

  1. To mark with spots or smears of color.

    1. The artist used paint to mottle the canvas.
    2. Sunlight began to mottle the forest floor as the day progressed through morning.

  2. To be marked with different colors or shades.

    1. The old wall started to mottle over time.
    2. The leaves mottle as they decay, creating beautiful autumn colors.

Synonyms

speckle dapple spot streak fleck marble
mottle adjective

  1. Having spots or patches of color.

    1. The bird has mottle feathers.
    2. I really like mottle patterns on old china plates in the antique store.
mottle noun

  1. A pattern of irregular marks, spots, streaks, or blotches of different colors or shades.

    1. The cloth has a mottle.
    2. The mottle of the stone was caused by mineral deposits over many years.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "mottle" in English means: To mark with spots or smears of color., To be marked with different colors or shades..

The phonetic transcription of "mottle" is /ˈmɒt.əl/ in British English and /ˈmɑː.t̬əl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "mottle": speckle, dapple, spot, streak, fleck, marble.

Example usage of "mottle": "The artist used paint to mottle the canvas.". More examples on the page.