speckle | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

8 entries found.

mid-15c. (implied in speckled), probably related to Old English specca "small spot, speck" (see speck) or from a related Middle Dutch or Middle High German word. Related: Speckled; speckling. The noun is first attested mid-15c.

bespeckle (v.)

"to mark with spots," c. 1600, from be- + speckle. Related: Bespeckled; bespeckling.

speck (n.)

Old English specca "small spot, stain," of unknown origin; probably related to Dutch speckel "speck, speckle," Middle Dutch spekelen "to sprinkle" (compare speckle (v.)). Meaning "tiny bit" developed c. 1400. As a verb, 1570s, from the noun. Related: Specked.

emaculate (v.)

"remove blemishes from," 1620s, from Latin emaculatus "freed from blemishes," past participle of emaculare, from assimilated form of ex "out of" (see ex-) + maculare "make spotted, speckle" (see maculate (adj.)).

maculate (adj.)

"spotted, marked with spots," late 15c., from Latin maculatus, past participle of maculare "to make spotted, to speckle," from macula "spot, stain" (see macula). Maculate conception is attested by 1756.

maquette (n.)

"artist's preliminary model or sketch," 1903, from French maquette (18c.), from Italian macchietta "speck," diminutive of macchia "spot," from macchiare "to stain," from Latin maculare "to make spotted, to speckle," from macula "spot, stain" (see macula). From 1893 as a French word in English.

maculate (v.)

early 15c., maculaten "to spoil, pollute, defile," from Latin maculatus, past participle of maculare "to make spotted, to speckle," from macula "spot, stain" (see macula). Literal meaning "to spot, stain" is by 1640s. Related: Maculated; maculating.

stipple (v.)

"paint with dots," 1670s, from Dutch stippelen "to make points," frequentative of stippen "to prick, speckle," from stip "a point," perhaps ultimately from PIE root *st(e)ig- "pointed" (see stick (v.)), or from *steip- "to stick, compress." Related: Stippled; stippling.

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