dotted

American  

[dot-id] / ˈdɒt ɪd /

adjective

1. marked with a dot or dots.

2. consisting or constructed of dots.

3. having objects scattered or placed in a random manner.

   a landscape dotted with small houses.

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dotted British  

/ ˈdɒtɪd /

adjective

1. having dots, esp having a pattern of dots

2. music

   1. (of a note) increased to one and a half times its original time value See dot 1

   2. (of a musical rhythm) characterized by dotted notes Compare double-dotted See also notes inégales

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Other Word Forms

• undotted
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of dotted

First recorded in 1765–75; dot ¹ + -ed ³

Example Sentences

Reaching the store requires a 50-mile trek from Phoenix through barren land dotted by cactuses and the occasional sign warning of blowing dust.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

"I had really dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's of the experiment," he said.

From Science Daily • May 18, 2026

A well-off grain dealer in those days, with a sideline as an art collector, fragments of his pre-war life survive in the paintings and sculptures by Ukrainian artists dotted around the bunker.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Tucked away in rural western Maryland, past a dead-end road cut off by railroad tracks, a stream runs cool and clear over a ledge dotted with snails.

From Slate • Apr. 27, 2026

The counter is dotted with little plastic tubes and glass bottles of my makeup.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish