spotted

[ spot-id ]

adjective

1. marked with or characterized by a spot or spots.
2. sullied; blemished.

spotted

/ ˈspɒtɪd /

adjective

1. characterized by spots or marks, esp in having a pattern of spots
2. stained or blemished; soiled or bespattered

Other Words From

• spotted·ly adverb
• spotted·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of spotted¹

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; spot, -ed ³

Example Sentences

Like many of the women who have told the BBC they were abused by Mohamed Al Fayed, Helen says she was spotted by him on one of his routine walks of the Harrods shop floor.

From BBC

Hegseth writes in the book that he was removed from his duty guarding Biden’s inauguration because soldiers scrolled through his social media and spotted a tattoo on his chest of a Jerusalem or Deus vult cross, a historic Christian symbol that in recent years has been appropriated by the far-right.

From Los Angeles Times

But trials show there are harms to testing large numbers of healthy men - and once a cancer is spotted, even a low-risk one, it needs to be followed up.

From BBC

Having learned to feed himself, it spent several years travelling south along Norway’s coast and in May 2023 was even spotted off the coast of Sweden.

From BBC

Officials say it’s likely the same female spotted this summer in Chatsworth.

From Los Angeles Times