freckle
Americannoun
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freckles
plural
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one of the small, brownish spots on the skin that are caused by deposition of pigment and that increase in number and darken on exposure to sunlight; lentigo.
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any small spot or discoloration.
freckles of paint spattered on the floor.
verb (used with object)
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freckles,
present (3rd person singular)
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freckled,
past participle, past
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freckling
present participle
verb (used without object)
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freckles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
freckled,
past participle, past
-
freckling
present participle
noun
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Technical name: lentigo. a small brownish spot on the skin: a localized deposit of the pigment melanin, developed by exposure to sunlight
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any small area of discoloration; a spot
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slang the anus
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
frecklesimple
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frecklessimple
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have freckledperfect
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has freckledperfect
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am frecklingprogressive
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are frecklingprogressive
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is frecklingprogressive
-
have been frecklingperfect progressive
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has been frecklingperfect progressive
Past
-
freckledsimple
-
had freckledperfect
-
was frecklingprogressive
-
were frecklingprogressive
-
had been frecklingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of freckle
1350–1400; blend of obsolete frecken freckle ( Middle English frekne < Old Norse *frekna; compare freknōttr speckled, Norwegian, Icelandic frekna, Swedish fräkna freckle) and speckle (noun)
Explanation
A freckle is a small, brownish spot on the skin. You might have a few freckles on your nose, or a lot of freckles across your shoulders and arms. Most babies don't have any freckles, but people who are genetically predisposed to them and spend time in the sun tend to get freckles as children. People with pale skin, and sometimes red hair, have a tendency to get freckles and are more vulnerable to the sun's UV rays. If you have freckles, you should definitely use sunblock. When new freckles appear, you can say that you freckle.
Vocabulary lists containing freckle
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
I can feel the backs of my knees burn and I can see my otherwise monochrome shoulders freckle if I’m outside for a bit too long.
From Scientific American ● Sep. 8, 2023
These Polynesian islands — a freckle, invisible on many maps — make up the world's fourth smallest nation, population around 12,000 and a land size of ten square miles.
From Salon ● Dec. 3, 2022
Paris Tippett, 26, from Reading said she noticed a new freckle on her leg after prolonged sunbed use and was subsequently diagnosed with stage two melanoma.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2022
At the Estadio Olimpico in Honduras last month, about two dozen American fans were tucked into one corner of the packed stadium, a freckle of red in a sea of blue.
From New York Times ● Oct. 9, 2021
And why should she care — a rude, freckle faced sailor who took more notice of a strip of canvas than of a brocaded gown?
From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare
It's my freckles, I'm told, and having freckles puts me at higher risk of skin cancer.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Families with pale skin, freckles or a history of skin cancer should be extra careful.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
You want freckles and edges that lean just shy of too dark.
From Salon ● Feb. 24, 2026
Accessories—anything from shoelace charms to glitter freckles to decor for your decor—give consumers ways to update their look and express themselves at a fraction of the cost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025
Harriet’s freckles stood out against her pale skin.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
Its shell is painted to resemble SpongeBob’s freckled face.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2025
I started to build an image of him in my mind: red hair, freckled, pale skin, a slight beer gut, maybe around 40, single, no kids.
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2025
If you ask Cirone which is his favorite, he will tell you the Gold Rush, a golden-green apple with a freckled skin, crisp crunch and rich, tart flavor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2023
A fuzzy, freckled gull chick emerged from a bayberry bush, stared curiously at me as if it had spotted a Martian, and then waddled back to its hiding place.
From New York Times ● Sep. 20, 2023
I compare my freckled brown skin to the boy, Zeta-3’s.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
The bacon on the Cowboy is crumbled to fine pebbles — freckling the surface of the pie rather than screaming “BACON,” on top of sausage.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 8, 2022
The animal’s body remained astoundingly intact through the eons, retaining even shreds of delicate, scale-studded skin and a freckling of pigment.
From New York Times ● Jan. 19, 2021
Jupiter’s great red spot is visible at the 10 o’clock position; a freckling of white ovals—most distinct at eight and nine o’clock—likely indicate deep atmospheric storms.
From Time ● Oct. 25, 2017
It is a freckling of snow on cobbled pavements and the golden light from a window on a dark evening that glows like a Russian icon on a museum wall.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 8, 2017
“Decent food. The Internet. I don’t miss the sun that much. At least I’m not freckling anymore. What about you?”
From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
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