freckle

1 of 2

noun

freck·​le ˈfre-kəl 

: any of the small brownish spots in the skin due to augmented melanin production that increase in number and intensity on exposure to sunlight

freckly

ˈfre-k(ə-)lē 

adjective

freckle

2 of 2

verb

freckled; freckling ˈfre-k(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

: to sprinkle or mark with freckles or small spots

intransitive verb

: to become marked with freckles

Synonyms

Verb

• blotch
• dapple
• dot
• fleck
• marble
• mottle
• pepper
• shoot
• speck
• speckle
• splotch
• spot
• sprinkle
• stipple

Examples of freckle in a Sentence

Noun

a pale, redheaded girl with freckles across her cheeks

Verb

His skin freckles but doesn't tan.

Tiny black spots freckled the walls.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The missing woman is described as 5 feet 10 inches and about 140 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes, a knife tattoo on her forearm and freckles on her face, according to a Los Angeles Police Department news release. —Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024

The base green color never changes, but Hannon added subtle details like freckles and eyebrow transfers. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 21 Nov. 2024

Verb

More than 800 Wetherspoon chain pubs freckle the country — from The Muckle Cross in Scotland to The Tremenheere in Cornwall. —Will Noble, CNN, 23 Nov. 2024

The profiteroles, drizzled with warm, rich, dark chocolate, are like little elegant ice cream sandwiches freckled with powdered sugar. —Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English freken, frekel, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse freknōttr freckled

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1613, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

freckle

1 of 2 noun

freck·​le ˈfrek-əl 

: a small brownish spot in the skin

freckly

-(ə-)lē 

adjective

freckle

2 of 2 verb

freckled; freckling ˈfrek-(ə-)liŋ 

: to mark or become marked with freckles

Medical Definition

freckle

1 of 2 noun

freck·​le ˈfrek-əl 

: any of the small brownish spots in the skin that are due to augmented melanin production and that increase in number and intensity on exposure to sunlight

called also ephelis

compare lentigo

freckled

-əld 

adjective

freckle

2 of 2 transitive verb

freckled; freckling ˈfrek-(ə-)liŋ 

: to become marked with freckles