# speck

/ˈspɛk/ (US) · /spˈɛk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/speck
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a tiny spot or particle

noun · CEFR B2

a very small mark or piece of something, especially dirt or dust.

For teachers: a tiny spot, mark, or particle of a substance, often implying a contaminant like dust or grime.

- I thought I saw a speck of dust on the camera lens.
- The astronomer spent hours analyzing a tiny speck on the photographic plate that eventually proved to be a distant galaxy.

### 2. a tiny amount

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a very small amount of a feeling or quality.

For teachers: a minute amount or trace of an abstract quality.

- There wasn't a speck of truth in the rumors he told me.
- Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, he didn't show a speck of remorse during the entire trial.

### 3. cured ham

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a type of salty, smoked ham that is usually sliced very thin.

For teachers: a distinct variety of juniper-flavoured, dry-cured, and smoked ham originating from the Tyrol region.

- We ordered a platter of speck and local cheeses for the appetizer.
- The chef insisted on sourcing authentic Tyrolean speck to ensure the carbonara maintained its traditional smoky profile.

### 4. animal fat

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Archaic

the fat or blubber of a large animal like a whale.

For teachers: the blubber or subcutaneous fat of whales and other marine mammals.

- The old journals described how the sailors processed the whale speck for oil.
- Historical accounts of the whaling industry detail the arduous process of stripping the speck from the carcass before the rendering began.

### 5. to mark with spots

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to cover something with many tiny dots or marks.

For teachers: to mark or dot a surface with small spots or particles.

- Tiny drops of red paint began to speck the white floor.
- As the storm approached, heavy droplets of rain began to speck the dry pavement, creating a mosaic of dark circles.

## Examples

- There is a speck of dust on your shirt.
- The kitchen was perfectly clean, without a single speck of grease on the counters.
- From the airplane window, the massive cargo ships in the harbor looked like tiny specks of paint against the deep blue of the ocean.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.