1
: a colored spot
2
a
: a surface having colored spots or blotches
b
: the arrangement of such spots or blotches on a surface
3
mottled; mottling
ˈmät-liŋ 
ˈmä-tᵊl-iŋ
: to mark with spots or blotches of different color or shades of color as if stained
Synonyms
Examples of mottle in a Sentence
Noun
canvases covered with streaks and mottles
Verb
old papers that were mottled by mold
Recent Examples on the Web
Katie Becker, Harper's BAZAAR, 5 Oct. 2015
Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
The affected areas may appear white, pale, yellow, or mottled blue, depending on your skin tone.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mottle 
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Noun
Remember to continue your daily sunscreen use to stave off more mottle.
—Katie Becker, Harper's BAZAAR, 5 Oct. 2015
Verb
The gas stations had the dingy look of gas stations everywhere, mottled with the stains of oil and exhaust.
—Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
The affected areas may appear white, pale, yellow, or mottled blue, depending on your skin tone.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mottle
Dictionary Entries Near mottle
Cite this Entry
“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mottle. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.
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