Variegate

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈvɛɹiəɡeɪt/

Definitions

1. To mark with patches or streaks of different colors, creating an irregular pattern of contrasting shades
2. To diversify with alternating colors or shades creating visual contrast and irregularity
3. To produce a multicolored appearance by introducing patches or streaks of contrasting hues throughout

Etymology: Latin "varius" meant "various," "changing," or even "spotted" or "dappled," and it sits behind a whole family of English words about variety. The "agere" half is the familiar verb meaning "to make, do, drive," the same root that gives English "agent" and "action." Put together in Late Latin as "variegare," the word described the act of making something of mixed kinds or colors. English borrowed the verb from that Late Latin form, and it arrived as a fully formed compound rather than something built up inside English. Its core job has stayed the same ever since: to give a surface a patchwork of contrasting shades. The word is most often used now for leaves, stone and fabric, where the pattern looks natural rather than designed.

Synonyms: diversify, change, vary

Antonyms: uniform, homogenize