Splotty

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Marked with irregular spots, patches or blotches of colour, especially in an untidy or uneven way
2. Having a mottled appearance made up of small uneven marks scattered across a surface
3. Describing something dotted or smudged with patches of differing colour or dirt

Etymology: "Splotty" is a plain English formation: the noun "splot," a spot or blotch, with the suffix "-y" added to mean "characterised by" or "full of." Its closest relative is "splotchy," which describes the same kind of blotched or patchy surface. The root "splot" is itself a variant of "splat," the sound-word for something flat hitting a surface, and the two words share a family of meanings around marks made by a splash or smear. Middle English is where the adjective first appears, so the word has been describing mottled skin, fabric, and paint for centuries.

Synonyms: blotchy, spotty, splodgy

Antonyms: smooth