dapple Definition
a small contrasting spot or blotch, typically on a mammal or a bird.
Using dapple: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "dapple" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The horse had a dapple coat.
Example
The bird's feathers were dappled with shades of brown and white.
Example
The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor.
dapple Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with dapple
dapple-gray
a gray horse with mottled spots of darker gray or black
Example
The dapple-gray mare was a beautiful sight to behold.
dapple-dawn-drawn
a phrase used by Gerard Manley Hopkins in his poem 'Pied Beauty' to describe the beauty of nature's variety and diversity
Example
Glory be to God for dappled things - / For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow; / For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim...
dapple-light
the shifting, speckled light that filters through leaves and branches in a forest
Example
The hiker walked through the woods, enjoying the dapple-light that played across her face.
Origins of dapple
from Middle English 'daple', from Old Norse 'depla', meaning 'spot'
Summary: dapple in Brief
The term 'dapple' [ˈdæpl] refers to small contrasting spots or blotches, often found on animals or birds. It can also describe the shifting, speckled light that filters through leaves and branches in a forest, as in 'The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor.' 'Dapple' extends into phrases like 'dapple-gray,' describing a gray horse with mottled spots, and 'dapple-dawn-drawn,' a phrase used by Gerard Manley Hopkins to describe the beauty of nature's variety and diversity.
