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spottiness

spottiness

1 5.8
An uneven quality or appearance with spots and weak parts
  • noun
  • /ˈspɑːtɪnəs/
: manchitas
  • The spottiness of the paint on the wall made it look uneven and poorly done.

Examples

  • No definitive tests were undertaken during the break-in stage or during the testing; thus, one can only conclude that the bristles wore significantly, and the rotor coating showed little evidence of tracking other than being highly polished with some spottiness.

    Academic text (1998)
  • The gardener was concerned about the spottiness of the leaves on the plants, indicating a possible disease.

  • We noticed the spottiness of her skin after she spent too much time in the sun without protection.

Synonyms

blotchiness
vsspottiness
1 6.2

Uneven patches on skin or cloth

is used more widely for uneven appearance or inconsistent quality
patchiness
vsspottiness
1 7.1

Uneven quality or performance across different parts

also includes the visual condition of being covered with spots
mottle
vsspottiness
1 7.9

An uneven pattern of spots or patches of different colors

refers to general spotting or uneven appearance without color pattern detail
spottedness
vsspottiness
8.1

A surface with many small round marks like on fur or skin

is broader, also covering uneven appearance or variable quality

Antonyms

uniformity
  • Specialized
17 4.6

The state of being the same in all parts

4 2.6

How something works without pauses or problems

How Spotted

mottling
1 6.9
spottiness
1 5.8
spotlessness
1 3.0

Surface Forms

spottiness singular
spottinesses plural

Morphology

spottiness = spotty (transparent) = spot + y + ness

Formed by 'spot' -> 'spotty' (adjective) + '-ness' to indicate the state or quality; the meaning is directly predictable.

Etymology

Spottiness comes from the simple word spot, meaning 'a small mark', plus the ending -ness, meaning 'the state or quality'. So spottiness is the state of being covered in spots or of being uneven in quality, like a paint job with patches or a team with mixed results.