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blotchy

blotchy

5 5.0
Having irregular patches of colour on the skin or other surfaces
  • adjective
  • /ˈblɑːtʃi/
translation icon : manchado
  • After spending hours in the sun without sunscreen, her skin became red and blotchy.
  • blotchy red
  • blotchy skin
  • blotchy face

It's a little blotchy, tiny bit blotchy.

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Examples

  • Her skin is blotchy, and she looks strung out.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • I tend to get severely dehydrated skin that gets blotchy after one of these nights.

    Blog text (20)
  • Oh, God, I look so blotchy.

  • Now we can also see all of these dark blotchy spots.

  • During the winter, Ruth can look blotchy and strange.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Her face was blotchy; her wet makeup glistened.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • His face was puffed on one side, and both hands were blotchy with red welts.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • He's got blotchy skin.

  • I was shocked by her frail body, skin sagging in pockets under her eyes, the blotchy cheeks.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Christopher's pink skin was temporarily red and blotchy as his body accustomed itself to the scalding bathwater.

    Fiction book (1996)

Synonyms

spotty
vsblotchy
4 1.4

Marked with small spots or patches of a different color

refers to irregular or discolored patches without implying regularity
splotchy
vsblotchy
3 5.6

A surface with uneven patches or spots

emphasizes irregular or discolored patches more than texture alone
spotted
vsblotchy
2 1.0

Having spots or patches of a different color

is about irregular or discolored patches rather than only color contrast
speckled
vsblotchy
1 2.8

Covered with many small spots of a different color

focuses on irregular or discolored patches, not tiny scattered marks
freckly
vsblotchy
1 3.0

Having many small brown spots on skin or other things

covers irregular or discolored patches on skin or other surfaces
bespeckled
vsblotchy
1 7.1

Having small spots on the surface

describes irregular or discolored patches rather than uniform tiny marks
blotched
vsblotchy
6.7

Marked with irregular spots of a different color

describes irregular or discolored patches more generally
splotched
vsblotchy
6.1

Something that has uneven spots like stains

focuses on irregular or discolored patches rather than patterning
maculate
vsblotchy
9.9

Marked with spots or stains, for example on cloth

uses irregular or discolored patches mainly for plain surface changes
flecked
vsblotchy
4.4

With small spots of a different color

means irregular or discolored patches often larger than tiny dots
speckly
vsblotchy
3.5

A surface with many small spots like dots on an egg or cloth

focuses on irregular or discolored larger patches rather than tiny marks

Antonyms

866 1.0

Free from things that block sight or movement

Having a smooth, regular surface without bumps or rough spots

How Blotchy

mottled
7 6.3
blotchy
5 5.0
marbled
1 4.4
spotted
2 1.0
speckled
1 2.8

Surface Forms

blotchy positive

Morphology

blotchy = blotch (transparent) = blotch + y

Derived straightforwardly from the noun 'blotch' with the adjectival suffix '-y' meaning 'characterized by or full of blotches'.

Etymology

Blotchy comes from the simple word blot, which means 'spot' or 'stain'. Imagine ink blots or patches of colour, and something 'blotchy' has these uneven spots, so we use it for skin or surfaces with irregular marks.