mottle
mot·tle/ˈmɑ.təl/verb, noun
mottle is spelled M-O-T-T-L-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables (mot·tle). It appears about once in every 18 million words in written English, the 127,184th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, mottle means “To mark with blotches of different color, or shades of color, as if stained; to spot; to maculate” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in mottle?
| Letters | 6: M-O-T-T-L-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: mot·tle |
| In writing | about once in every 18 million words; the 127,184th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is mottle?
Mottle appears about once in every 18 million words in written English, the 127,184th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce mottle?
- UK /ˈmɒt.əl/
- US /ˈmɑ.təl/
- US [ˈmɑ.ɾɫ̩]
Mottle has 2 syllables, split mot·tle in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-mottle.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Naomi_Persephone_Amethyst_(NaomiAmethyst)-mottle.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with mottle?
2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as mottle from its last stressed vowel (/ɑtəl/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of mottle
- mottles present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- mottling participle, present
- mottled participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does mottle mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To mark with blotches of different color, or shades of color, as if stained; to spot; to maculate.
noun
- 1
A distinguishing blotch of colour.
- 2
A mottled or spotted pattern.
The most common symptom is a mild mottle on the youngest leaves of infected plants.
- 3
Any of several species of genus Logania of butterflies, found from Burma to the Philippines and New Guinea.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Mottle in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense to mark with blotches of different color, or shades of color, as if stained; to :
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | tacheter, barbouiller |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does mottle come from?
1670-80. Probably back-formation from motley.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).