fleck

1 of 2

verb

flecked; flecking; flecks

transitive verb

1
: streak, spot
whitecaps flecked the blue sea
2
: to color as if by sprinkling with flecks
his wit is flecked with sarcasmJames Atlas

fleck

2 of 2

noun

1
: spot, mark
a brown tweed with flecks of yellow
2
: flake, particle
flecks of snow drifted down

Examples of fleck in a Sentence

Verb She flecked the canvas with blue paint. to achieve the desired effect, fleck the canvas with paint simply by flicking the brush close to the surface Noun a brown cloth with flecks of yellow The police found flecks of blood on his clothes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Michigan Pot Hole is the way to go here, a chocolate ice cream flecked with crunchy chocolate cookie bits. Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 21 Mar. 2024 This old-fashioned, double-crust pie may look ordinary on the outside, but when it's sliced, the inside reveals vibrant orange layers of sweet potatoes flecked with spices and sweetened with sugar and sorghum syrup. Nancie McDermott, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2023 For her, a disappointing decision flecked with hope. Photographs Todd Heisler, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2023 One of the most beautiful islands in Phang Nga Bay, Koh Yao Noi is flecked off the coast of its sibling island, Koh Yao Yai. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2024 The paint on its walls is peeling, and the red and white sign on its roof is flecked with green. Joshua Mandell, Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024 Now 75, his hair flecked with gray, Garvey moves slower than in his baseball heyday charging down the base paths. Michael R. Blood, Fortune, 25 Jan. 2024 Strobe lights periodically illuminated three large heaps of compost, flecked with humus; a machine puffed artificial fog. Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023 The proof is in the ubiquity of 2023’s biggest young star, achieved through casually blunt disses, a trademark-worthy archive of selfies, and drill beats flecked with 2010s pop radio samples. Pitchfork, 5 Dec. 2023
Noun
Mara's brown eyes pick up the warm flecks from the color in a most flattering way. 07 of 30 Isla Fisher Isla Fisher keeps her red locks long and wavy, giving even more life to the bright coppery color. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024 Some parts of California, a hot state with a 1,264-mile coastline, might, therefore, be worse than others for causing the orange flecks reported by Raxar and others. Carlton Reid, WIRED, 16 Feb. 2024 The soft red fruits, which are also covered with gold flecks, ripen in the fall and yields are improved when compatible varieties are planted in close proximity. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 The images show either dense crowds in which no individuals can be discerned or — in the case of smaller groups of people on roads — tiny flecks and dark spots. William J. Broad, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 Particulate matter that's less than 2.5 microns in diameter, also called PM2.5, is particularly concerning because these tiny flecks of pollution can get deep into your lungs, causing a range of health problems. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 12 Feb. 2024 The fried rice steamed from its container, heady sustenance dotted with scrambled eggs, and brightened with a few green flecks of scallions. Hetty Lui McKinnon, Bon Appétit, 19 Feb. 2024 It’s now being cleaned and appraised, but remains in good condition with only a few flecks of paint missing from the piece, according to France. Matthew Brown, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2024 It's now being cleaned and appraised, but remains in good condition with only a few flecks of paint missing from the piece, according to France. CBS News, 29 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fleck.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from flecked spotted, from Middle English; akin to Old High German flec spot, Old Norse flekkr

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fleck was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fleck

Cite this Entry

“Fleck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fleck. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fleck

1 of 2 verb

fleck

2 of 2 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fleck

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