# speckle

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈspɛkəl/ · frequency rank #72,782

## Definitions
1. A small spot or speck on the skin, plumage or foliage.
2. The random distribution of light when it is scattered by a rough surface.
3. Kind; sort.
4. A cluster of interchromatin granules in a nucleus.

## Etymology
The noun is from Middle Dutch spekkel; the verb was later coined from the noun, in the late 16th century.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/speckle