adjective
spotty
adjective
1
Uneven or unreliable in quality; good in some parts and poor in others.
"Cell coverage out here is pretty spotty."
"His attendance record was spotty at best."
2
Marked with spots.
"The teenager complained about his spotty skin."
How to Use Spotty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishInconsistent or patchy — sometimes there, sometimes not — or literally covered in spots.
Common pairings
spotty coverage
spotty record
spotty skin
Word Forms
spottier comparative, spotties plural, spottiest superlative
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Cell coverage out here is pretty _____.
Etymology
From Middle English spotty, built from spot plus the adjective-forming suffix "-y".