freckle

1 of 2

noun

freck·​le ˈfre-kəl How to pronounce freckle (audio)
: any of the small brownish spots in the skin due to augmented melanin production that increase in number and intensity on exposure to sunlight
freckly adjective

freckle

2 of 2

verb

freckled; freckling ˈfre-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce freckle (audio)

transitive verb

: to sprinkle or mark with freckles or small spots

intransitive verb

: to become marked with freckles

Examples of freckle in a Sentence

Noun a pale, redheaded girl with freckles across her cheeks Verb His skin freckles but doesn't tan. Tiny black spots freckled the walls.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Laser treatment to remove facial freckles 13 years ago; nose job at 19 Skin care routine: AM: cleanser, moisturizer with SPF, peptide serum, mattifying SPF. Rachel Wilkerson Miller, SELF, 21 Feb. 2024 As someone who once applied lemon juice to bleach my freckles, that affection is a funny thing to contemplate. Megan Nolan, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2024 Jillian Shrike began applying permanent makeup full-time in 2017 and takes extra caution with freckles. David Oliver, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024 Advertisement So for much of history, people have been trying to get rid of their freckles. Ashley Fetters Maloy, Washington Post, 29 July 2023 The Morning Show and Russian Doll star’s campaign images include the constellation of freckles that naturally adorn her cheeks and nose. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2023 Tyla joined in on the trend with nose freckles and shortcake-colored blush. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 22 Jan. 2024 The exact reason why eye freckles develop is unknown. Anthea Levi, Health, 30 Oct. 2023 Related The Madame Tussauds location in Orlando, Fla., unveiled its model of the 29-year-old pop star Monday (Dec. 18), with the life-size duplicate featuring detailed replications of everything from Styles’ dark curls and freckles to the tattoos inked on his chest. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 18 Dec. 2023
Verb
The profiteroles, drizzled with warm, rich, dark chocolate, are like little elegant ice cream sandwiches freckled with powdered sugar. Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 Fake but seriously lifelike clusters of plants and patches of moss freckle the room’s landscape. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024 The infrequent miss, like soggy broccoli in a sliced beef dish, is outnumbered by the menu’s many hits, including some of the best shrimp toast, freckled with sesame seeds, in recent memory and sweet and sour cabbage that balances both flavors while delivering a stab of heat from fresh ginger. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2023 Tradition is salmon flavored with kelp and freckled with white sesame seeds. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2023 Steamed rockfish, which a server compares to clam chowder, delivers on the promise with a moat of diced potatoes, bacon and milky sauce around the entree, freckled with scallion ash, a handy way to deal with the abundance of scallions in the kitchen. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2023 Regional airports are freckled around the area, most notably in small-but-commercial Flagstaff and in charter-only Sedona and Tusayan. Emily Pennington, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2023 After my third dinner, Flora was whipping up gratis drinks, one night mezcal and tamarind syrup capped with frothy egg white freckled with chocolate bitters. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2023 Plus, colorful hot air balloons that freckle the skies during a late-summer festival, an alpine coaster that glides through a mile of mountain terrain, and a calendar packed with fun events in the square that anchors Snowmass Village all make summer an ideal time to visit. Brittany Anas, Forbes, 28 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freckle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English freken, frekel, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse freknōttr freckled

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1613, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of freckle was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near freckle

Cite this Entry

“Freckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freckle. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

freckle

1 of 2 noun
freck·​le ˈfrek-əl How to pronounce freckle (audio)
: a small brownish spot in the skin
freckly adjective

freckle

2 of 2 verb
freckled; freckling ˈfrek-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce freckle (audio)
: to mark or become marked with freckles

Medical Definition

freckle

1 of 2 noun
freck·​le ˈfrek-əl How to pronounce freckle (audio)
: any of the small brownish spots in the skin that are due to augmented melanin production and that increase in number and intensity on exposure to sunlight

called also ephelis

compare lentigo
freckled adjective

freckle

2 of 2 transitive verb
freckled; freckling ˈfrek-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce freckle (audio)
: to become marked with freckles

More from Merriam-Webster on freckle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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