Merled

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having a pattern of dark spots or patches on a lighter background, typically describing the coat coloring of certain dog breeds
2. Characterized by a mottled or variegated appearance, often seen in the fur or skin of animals or in other natural textures
3. Displaying a mix of colors or shades in a pattern that resembles blotches, which can be observed in various contexts

Etymology: "Merled" is simply "merle" with the ending "-ed" added, so it describes anything marked with the pattern that "merle" names. "Merle" itself comes from French, where it originally named the blackbird, and the word was later applied to the mottled pattern of a bird's plumage and then to the speckled coats of dogs. The "-ed" ending is the ordinary English suffix that turns a noun into an adjective meaning "having" or "marked with" the thing named, as in "spotted" or "hooded." So a merled coat is one that has the merle pattern, with its patches of darker colour scattered over a paler ground.

Synonyms: spotted, dappled