verb
Uncommon
sprinkle
SPRIHNG-kuhl
Sprinkle (verb) means to scatter small drops or particles of something over a surface. Example: “She sprinkled sugar over the fresh strawberries.”
verb
1
To scatter small drops or particles of something over a surface.
"She sprinkled sugar over the fresh strawberries."
"He sprinkled a little salt on his fries."
noun
1
A light shower of rain.
"Just a light sprinkle fell before the sun came back out."
2
Tiny bits of colored candy or sugar used to decorate cakes and desserts.
"The cupcakes were topped with rainbow sprinkles."
How to use sprinkle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo scatter something lightly over a surface, or the light rain/tiny decorations that result from this kind of scattering.
Common pairings
sprinkle of rain
sprinkle sugar
chocolate sprinkles
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Word forms
- Plural
- sprinkles
- Third person singular
- sprinkles
- Past tense
- sprinkled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She _____ sugar over the fresh strawberries.
Etymology
From Middle English sprenkelen, borrowed from Middle Dutch sprenkelen, built on sprink plus a frequentative suffix.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for sprinkle
See all rhymes for sprinkle →Frequently asked questions
What does “sprinkle” mean?
The word “sprinkle” means to scatter small drops or particles of something over a surface. In plain terms, to scatter something lightly over a surface, or the light rain/tiny decorations that result from this kind of scattering.
How do you pronounce “sprinkle”?
“Sprinkle” is pronounced SPRIHNG-kuhl (/ˈspɹɪŋkəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “sprinkle” in a sentence?
Here is “sprinkle” used in a sentence: “She sprinkled sugar over the fresh strawberries.”
What is another word for “sprinkle”?
Words with a similar meaning to “sprinkle” include dust and sift.
What part of speech is “sprinkle”?
Depending on how it is used, “sprinkle” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “sprinkle” come from?
The word “sprinkle” comes from Middle English. From Middle English sprenkelen, borrowed from Middle Dutch sprenkelen, built on sprink plus a frequentative suffix.
Is “sprinkle” a common word?
“Sprinkle” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “sprinkle” have?
“Sprinkle” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to scatter small drops or particles of something over a surface.
