dapple

1 of 2

noun

dap·​ple ˈda-pəl How to pronounce dapple (audio)
Synonyms of dapplenext
1
: any of numerous usually cloudy and rounded spots or patches of a color or shade different from their background
2
: the quality or state of being dappled
3
: a dappled animal

dapple

2 of 2

verb

dappled; dappling ˈda-p(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce dapple (audio)

transitive verb

: to mark with dapples

intransitive verb

: to produce a dappled pattern
sun dappling through trees

Synonyms of dapple

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Noun

Verb

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Examples of dapple in a Sentence

Noun the clouds threw dapples of shadow over the eerily quiet street Verb sunlight dappled the canopy of vines over our heads
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The 12-pound silver and black dapple will have to beat dozens of competitors. — Mindy Schauer, Oc Register, 8 Apr. 2026 Gleaming spots caused by methane ice clouds in the planet's atmosphere dapple its lower half. — Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 2022
Verb
Around us were rolling hills flecked with houses, dappled by the sun shining through the clouds. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026 The pale tortilla was dappled with shades of brown, toasty and tawny—simplicity, done superlatively. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 3 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for dapple

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English dappel-gray, adjective, gray marked with spots of another color

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of dapple was circa 1586

Rhymes for dapple

See All Rhymes for dapple

Browse Nearby Words

dapperling
dapple
dappled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dapple. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dapple

1 of 2 noun
dap·​ple ˈdap-əl How to pronounce dapple (audio)
1
: any spot or patch of a dappled pattern
2
: a dappled state
3
: a dappled animal (as a horse)

dapple

2 of 2 verb
dappled; dappling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce dapple (audio)
: to mark or become marked with a dappled pattern
daisies dappled the field
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