fleck

American  

[flek] / flɛk /

noun

1. a speck; a small bit.

   a fleck of dirt.

2. a spot or small patch of color, light, etc..

   the dapple mare with flecks of gray.

3. a spot or mark on the skin, as a freckle.

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verb (used with object)

1. to mark with a fleck or flecks; spot; dapple.

   Synonyms:

   daub, speck, dot, spatter, bespeckle

fleck British  

/ flɛk /

noun

1. a small marking or streak; speckle

2. a small particle; speck

   a fleck of dust

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verb

1. Also: flecker.  (tr) to mark or cover with flecks; speckle

Other Word Forms

• fleckless adjective
• flecklessly adverb
• flecky adjective
• unflecked adjective

Etymology

Origin of fleck

1350–1400; Middle English flekked spotted; akin to Old Norse flekkr spot, streak, Old High German flec ( German Fleck ), Middle Low German, Middle Dutch vlecken to soil

Example Sentences

The diner with stewy green beans flecked with bacon, sliding up next to a square of cornbread.

From Salon

This place was so fancy there were gold flecks on the ground.

From Literature

Her eyes were golden brown with little flecks of green and yellow in them.

From Literature

As the school bus wheezes into the Foodland parking lot, I spot a dark fleck high in the sky.

From Literature

That spring morning she had flown over the sea with her bare feet skimming the water, her boots in her pockets, the ocean spray flecking her ankles, laughing with the speed and joy of it.

From Literature

Related Words

• speck
• stripe