Splotchy

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Characterized by irregular and varying patches of color or texture that create a mottled appearance
2. Displaying inconsistent areas of spots or splotches that differ in color or intensity across a surface
3. Marked by irregular patches or stains that create an uneven surface look

Etymology: "Splotchy" is a simple formation: "splotch" with the adjective-making suffix "-y" attached. The noun "splotch" is the base, and the suffix turns it into a description of a surface marked with such blotches. The adjective looks like it should be the older form, but the record runs the other way: it descends from Middle English "splotty," which was built the same way from "splotch" plus "-y." Over time that older form was altered, probably under the influence of "splotch" itself, producing the "splotchy" used today. The base noun is the more telling part. "Splotch" is a word with a lively, onomatopoeic feel, built on the same sound pattern as "splash" and "blotch," and its sense of a messy, irregular stain is what the adjective carries forward. A surface described as "splotchy" has patches that differ from one another in colour or intensity, rather than a single even mark.

Synonyms: blotchy, streaky, speckled, spotted, patchy

Antonyms: uniform, solid, even, smooth, unblemished