sprinkle

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To cause (a substance) to fall in fine drops (for a liquid substance) or small pieces (for a solid substance).
2. (transitive) To cover (an object) by sprinkling a substance on to it.
3. (intransitive) To drip in fine drops, sometimes sporadically.
4. (intransitive) To rain very lightly outside.
5. (transitive) To baptize by the application of a few drops, or a small quantity, of water; hence, to cleanse; to purify.

Noun

1. A light covering with a sprinkled substance.
2. A light rain shower.
3. An aspersorium or utensil for sprinkling.
4. A small hard piece of sugar and starch, or chocolate, used to decorate cakes etc.

Synonyms

scatter

spray

splash

water

🚰

spatter

drizzle

strew

wet

spread

shower

🚿

spurt

spill

pour

sprinkling

disseminate

sparge

sow

moisten

dot

squirt

besprinkle

dust

splatter

pour down

scattering

spit

pour on

pour out

bespatter

spout

splosh

bespangle

pepper

soak

disperse

shed

pour down upon

dash

💨

throw

toss

pour water

mizzle

drop

drip

pitter-patter

squander

patter

sew

bedew

shatter

Translations

asperger

rociar

salpicar

spruzzare

regar

saupoudrer

🧂

arroser

🚰

spritzen

borrifar

esquitxar

ruixar

besprenkelen

bespritzen

ραντίζω

besprühen

🚿

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈspɹɪŋkəl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: sprenkelen

Cognate with Dutch: sprenkelen

Cognate with German: sprenkeln

In summary

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”).