stipple

(stip′əl)

to paint, draw, engrave, or apply in small points or dots rather than in lines or solid areas
to cover or mark with dots or quick dabs; fleck

Origin: Du stippelen < stippel, a speckle, dim. of stip, a point, akin to stippen, to prick: for IE base see stiff

noun

1. the art or method of painting, drawing, or engraving in dots
2. the effect produced by this, or an effect, as in nature, resembling it
stippled work

Related Forms:

See stipple in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb stip·pled, stip·pling, stip·ples

To draw, engrave, or paint in dots or short strokes.
To apply (paint, for example) in dots or short strokes.
To dot, fleck, or speckle: “They crossed a field stippled with purple weeds” (Flannery O'Connor).

noun