dapple

American  

[dap-uhl] / ˈdæp əl /

noun

1. a spot or mottled marking, usually occurring in clusters.

2. an animal with a mottled skin or coat.

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adjective

1. dappled; spotted.

   a dapple horse.

verb (used with or without object)

dapples, present (3rd person singular) dappled, past participle, past dappling present participle

1. to mark or become marked with spots.

dapple British  

/ ˈdæpəl /

verb

1. to mark or become marked with spots or patches of a different colour; mottle

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noun

1. mottled or spotted markings

2. a dappled horse, etc

adjective

1. marked with dapples or spots

Other Word Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has dappled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have dappled
  perfect
• has been dappling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are dappling
  progressive
• is dappling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• dapples
  singular 3rd person
• am dappling
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been dappling
  perfect progressive
• dappling
  participle

Past

• had dappled
  perfect
• dappled
  participle
• was dappling
  progressive singular
• had been dappling
  perfect progressive
• dappled
  simple
• were dappling
  progressive plural

Future

• will dapple
  simple
• will have dappled
  perfect
• will be dappling
  progressive
• will have been dappling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of dapple

First recorded in 1545–55; probably back formation from dappled

Explanation

To dapple is to dot with blotches of color or light, the way sunlight dapples the leaves of trees in the summertime. You can use dapple as a verb or a noun: "I saw a dapple of yellow paint on the floor after I finished painting my bedroom wall." Writers often describe the way sunshine and moonlight dapple things, forming irregular spots and patches. Sometimes animal fur or skin is described as dappled, or a color such as dapple-gray, an adjective which—strangely enough—was originally apple-gray.