[dap.ple] n [ME dappel-gray, adj., gray marked with spots of another color] (1580) 1: any of numerous usu. cloudy and rounded spots or patches of a color or shade different from their background
2: the quality or state of being dappled
3: a dappled animal
[2]dapple vb dap.pled ; dap.pling vt (1599): to mark with dapples ~ vi: to produce a dappled pattern "sun dappling through trees"