Word
sprinkle
Phoneticssprin·kle, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈspɹɪŋkəɫ/
UK/spɹˈɪŋkəl/
Definitions
01to scatter small pieces
B1 · Intermediate Cooking
v. to drop small amounts of a liquid or a dry substance over something.
v. to scatter small drops of liquid or fine particles of a solid substance over a surface.
“Sprinkle a little salt over the potatoes before you put them in the oven.”
“The chef instructed the trainees to sprinkle the finely chopped herbs evenly across the dish to ensure a balanced flavour profile.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'over' or 'on'.
Antonyms
02to rain lightly
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to rain very lightly, often for a short time.
v. to rain in very fine, light drops; typically used impersonally with 'it'.
Español:lloviznar
“It started to sprinkle just as we arrived at the park for our picnic.”
“Although it began to sprinkle during the outdoor ceremony, the guests remained in their seats as the clouds showed no sign of a heavy downpour.”
Antonyms
03cake decorations
B1 · Intermediate Plural noun Cooking
n. tiny, colourful pieces of sugar used to decorate cakes and cookies.
n. small, often multi-coloured pieces of confectionery used as a decorative topping for desserts.
“The children wanted extra chocolate sprinkles on their ice cream cones.”
“The bakery specialises in custom cupcakes topped with gold-leaf sprinkles and hand-piped buttercream frosting.”
Usage
Usually used in the plural form.
Synonyms
04a light rain
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a very light and brief period of rain.
n. a brief and light fall of rain, less intense than a shower.
“We didn't need umbrellas because it was just a light sprinkle.”
“A sudden sprinkle dampened the pavement, but the heat of the afternoon sun dried it within minutes.”
Etymology
From Middle English sprenkelen, sprynklen, from Middle Dutch sprenkelen, equivalent to sprink + -le (frequentative suffix). Cognate with Dutch sprenkelen (“to sprinkle”), German Low German sprenkeln (“to sprinkle; dapple”), German sprenkeln (“to sprinkle”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/sprinkle
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0