What does "stipple" mean?

The use of small dots that give the appearance of shading; the dots thus used.

What is a synonym for "stipple"?

Common synonyms include: apply paint, autolithograph, band, bar, be a printmaker, bedaub.

/ˈstɪpəl/ noun, verb

noun, verb ·Common ·High school level

Noun

1
The use of small dots that give the appearance of shading; the dots thus used. countable, uncountable
"Glory be to God for dappled things— / For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow; / For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim: […]"

Verb

1
To use small dots to give the appearance of shading to. transitive
"Don’t you think, Major Vampyre, that eye-brow ſtippled very prettily?"
2
produce a mottled effect wordnet
3
apply (paint) in small dots or strokes wordnet
4
make by small short touches that together produce an even or softly graded shadow, as in paint or ink wordnet
5
engrave by means of dots and flicks wordnet

"Glory be to God for dappled things— / For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow; / For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim: […]"

Probably from Dutch stippel (“small dot”), originally applied to the dots themselves and later to the technique.