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

1. A method of drawing, engraving, or painting using dots or short strokes.
2. The effect produced by stippling.

[Dutch stippelen, frequentative of stippen, to speckle, from stip, dot, from Middle Dutch.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.