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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. v. To mark with spots or blotches of different shades or colors.
  2. n. A spot or blotch of color.
  3. n. A variegated pattern, as on marble.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. To mark with spots or blotches of different colors or shades of color; blotch; variegate; cloud.
  2. n. The pattern or arrangement of spots and cloudings forming a mottled surface, especially in marble or in the natural veining of wood.
  3. n. One of the spots or blotches which together constitute a mottling.
  4. n. plural See diseased butter.

Wiktionary

  1. v. To mark with spots of different color, or shades of color, as if stained; to spot; to maculate.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. v. To mark with spots of different color, or shades of color, as if stained; to spot; to maculate.
  2. n. A mottled appearance.

WordNet 3.0

  1. v. colour with streaks or blotches of different shades
  2. v. mark with spots or blotches of different color or shades of color as if stained
  3. n. an irregular arrangement of patches of color

Etymologies

  1. Probably back-formation from motley.

Examples

  • “The characteristic markings on mahogany are "mottle," which is also found in sycamore, and is conspicuous on the backs of fiddles and violins, and is not in itself valuable; it runs the transverse way of the fibres and is probably the effect of the wind upon the tree in its early stages of growth.”

    Seasoning of Wood

  • “Or invent an anxious axolotl whose gross debilitating mottle ...”

    With apologies to everyone who's read this doggerel before

  • “The old mottle was fat cat fundraising, a small number of large contributions from rich people and special interests.”

    CNN Transcript Jun 5, 2008

  • “Lowland Greater Mindanao is home to endangered mammals also found in other parts of the Philippines, including the golden-capped fruit bat (Acerodon jubatus) and the mottle-winged flying-fox (Pteropus leucopterus) (found on Luzon and Dinagat).”

    Mindanao-Eastern Visayas rain forests

  • “Deep crimson stains mottle the pages of humanity's history.”

    Truth is Speaking....Is Power Listening?

  • “The skin on his face looks oniony, translucent, and large splotches of gray mottle the greenish hue.”

    Simon & Schuster: The Mother Garden

  • “She stood there weeding with a tiny trowel, her figure slightly warped and distorted by the mottle of the glass.”

    Simon & Schuster: The Beautiful Miscellaneous

  • “The hover's smooth skin had taken on the discoloration of the fireground, an ugly mottle of gray and brown and black.”

    The Year's Best Science Fiction 23rd Annual Collection

  • “The river, visible through wisps of steam, moved powerfully, its might channeled within the cliff-sided chasm, slate-gray in the early light, the sun not yet able to mottle its turbulent surface with splotches of pale green and white.”

    Genellan- Planetfall

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‘mottle’ has been looked up 1003 times, loved by 3 people, added to 17 lists, and has a Scrabble score of 8.