variegate
/ˈveə.ri.ɪˌɡeɪt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To make something have different colours, shades, or patterns. It is often used for plants, materials, or surfaces.
- The leaves are variegated with cream and green.
- The artist variegated the wall with bright colours.
- Some marbles are naturally variegated.
Adinary Nuance
Variegate is more formal and less common than words like colour, decorate, or pattern. It often describes natural or visual variety, especially in plants, fabric, or design. Writers choose it when they want a precise, descriptive word, not a casual one.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- làm loang màu
- Spanish
- moteado
- Chinese
- 杂色
- Japanese
- 斑入りにする
- Korean
- 무늬를 넣다
Etymology
Variegate comes from Latin variegatus, from varius meaning 'varied'. It entered English in the 16th century.
Common phrases
variegated leavesvariegated patternvariegated fabricvariegated colours
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is variegate a common word in everyday English?
- No, it is quite formal and more common in writing than in speech.
- What is the difference between variegate and decorate?
- Decorate means to make something look attractive. Variegate means to give it mixed colours or patterns.
- Can I use variegate for plants?
- Yes. It is often used for leaves and flowers with more than one colour.
- Is variegated more common than variegate?
- Yes. The adjective variegated is more common than the verb variegate.