freckle

[ frek-uhl ]

/ ˈfrɛk əl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: freckle / freckled / freckling on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

any small spot or discoloration: freckles of paint spattered on the floor.

verb (used with object), freck·led, freck·ling.

to cover with freckles; produce freckles on.

verb (used without object), freck·led, freck·ling.

to become freckled.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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)

OTHER WORDS FROM freckle

un·freck·led, adjectivewell-freckled, adjective

Words nearby freckle

freakout, freak show, freaky, Fréchet, Fréchette, freckle, freckle-faced, freckly, Fred, Freda, Freddie

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use freckle in a sentence

Maybe it’s a freckle that’s formed on your cheek or the shape of your face.
Cosmic timeline: What’s happened since the Big Bang|Trisha Muro|October 20, 2022|Science News For Students
These life hacks range from turning an old pair of jeans into a messenger bag to making fake freckles with eyeshadow to turning a pair of wide-legged pants into a body-con dress.
How TheSoul Publishing grew revenue via platforms with viral social media life hacks|Kayleigh Barber|February 12, 2021|Digiday
Wonder isn’t something you’re either born with or not, like blue eyes or freckles.
The business advice Socrates would give if he wrote a management book today|jakemeth|August 25, 2020|Fortune
Snapshots are used to create a nostalgic, authentic feel, opening with Galon as a freckle-faced girl out of Huck Finn.
Meretz Appeals To Smart Secular Women|Don Futterman|January 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST

But it was quite plain that the freckle-faced girl had nobody to care much for her, or about her.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn|Margaret Penrose
But Jessie Norwood, her attention drawn to the freckle-faced child who stood there so composedly, motioned Burd to halt.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn|Margaret Penrose
The freckle-faced girl began systematically to fill up the hollow with which she was accredited.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn|Margaret Penrose
Every individual freckle on her thin, sharp face seemed to shine as though there was some radiance behind it.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn|Margaret Penrose
The freckle-faced boy, sitting on his pony with easy confidence, answered his companion's questions absently.
The Pony Rider Boys in Texas|Frank Gee Patchin

British Dictionary definitions for freckle

freckle

/ (ˈfrɛkəl) /

noun

a small brownish spot on the skin: a localized deposit of the pigment melanin, developed by exposure to sunlightTechnical name: lentigo

any small area of discoloration; a spot

Australian slang the anus

verb

to mark or become marked with freckles or spots

Derived forms of freckle

freckled or freckly, adjective

Word Origin for freckle

C14: from Old Norse freknur freckles; related to Swedish fräkne, Danish fregne

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

freckle

Origin of freckle

OTHER WORDS FROM freckle

Words nearby freckle

Words related to freckle

How to use freckle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for freckle

Derived forms of freckle

Word Origin for freckle