dimple

noun
dim·​ple | \ ˈdim-pəl How to pronounce dimple (audio) \

Definition of dimple

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 anatomy : a slight natural indentation in the surface of some part of the human body noticed his dimples when he smiled
2 : a depression or indentation on a surface (as of a golf ball)

dimple

verb
dimpled; dimpling\ ˈdim-​p(ə-​)liŋ How to pronounce dimpling (audio) \

Definition of dimple (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to mark with dimples a baby's dimpled hands

intransitive verb

: to exhibit or form dimples

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Other Words from dimple

Noun

dimply \ ˈdim-​p(ə-​)lē How to pronounce dimply (audio) \ adjective

Examples of dimple in a Sentence

Noun

She noticed his dimples when he smiled. the dimples on a golf ball

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The steam trapped inside cooks the noodles to al dente, and my broiler imitates a wood oven, speckling the dough with pizza-crust dimples. New York Times, "We Asked a Chef to Keep a Cooking Diary for a Week. Here’s What She Made.," 27 Aug. 2019 ARMYs have been anticipating their release ever since, especially after that first look at RM’s spot-on dimple. Sara Delgado, Teen Vogue, "The BTS Mattel Dolls and Uno Game Are Officially Available to Preorder," 17 July 2019 The narrator’s roommate is a German girl with a snub nose and dimples who always combs her hair before going to bed. Christopher Tayler, Harper's magazine, "New Books," 19 Aug. 2019 Luce Edgar is the ideal teenager in every way: handsome and popular, class valedictorian, star of the track and debate teams; even his dimples gleam. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, "Breakout Sundance drama Luce takes race beyond black and white," 5 Aug. 2019 Small dimples in the surface record Newtonian moments of natural inspiration. J.w.s.w. | Berlin, The Economist, "The variegated symbolism of gardens in art," 1 Aug. 2019 The marketing is attractively sophisticated, too, from the label with its message of summer luxury to the punt, the dimple in the bottom of the bottle, shaped like a strawberry to suggest fresh flavors of spring and summer. Dave Mcintyre Columnist, Washington Post, "John Legend, Jon Bon Jovi and Brangelina make surprisingly delicious rosés," 5 June 2019 According to this theory, quantum fluctuations created dimples in space-time that inflation then amplified. Quanta Magazine, "Why the Big Bang’s Light May Have a Tilt," 30 June 2015 The marketing is attractively sophisticated, too, from the label with its message of summer luxury to the punt, the dimple in the bottom of the bottle, shaped like a strawberry to suggest fresh flavors of spring and summer. Dave Mcintyre Columnist, Washington Post, "John Legend, Jon Bon Jovi and Brangelina make surprisingly delicious rosés," 5 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The wall between the passenger compartment and engine is dimpled like a golf ball to reduce vibration and noise. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, "Why Ford walked away from all-aluminum bodies for new 2020 Explorer," 6 July 2019 When ready to bake, aggressively dimple the surface of the bread, pressing out the bigger gas bubbles. Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, "A Healthy Sourdough Focaccia Recipe for NYC’s Planned Parenthood Bake Sale," 8 Apr. 2018 Place the dough in the center of the sheet tray and gently dimple the dough, pressing it down and stretching it out to fill the surface area of the tray. Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, "A Healthy Sourdough Focaccia Recipe for NYC’s Planned Parenthood Bake Sale," 8 Apr. 2018 Oil hands again and press fingertips firmly into dough, pushing down all the way to bottom of pan to dimple all over. Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit, "Classic Focaccia Bread," 19 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dimple.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of dimple

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1602, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

History and Etymology for dimple

Noun and Verb

Middle English dympull; akin to Old High German tumphilo whirlpool, Old English dyppan to dip — more at dip

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More Definitions for dimple

dimple

noun

English Language Learners Definition of dimple

: a small area on a part of a person's body (such as the cheek or chin) that naturally curves in
: a small area on a surface that curves in

dimple

noun
dim·​ple | \ ˈdim-pəl How to pronounce dimple (audio) \

Kids Definition of dimple

: a slight hollow spot especially in the cheek or chin

dimple

noun
dim·​ple | \ ˈdim-pəl How to pronounce dimple (audio) \

Medical Definition of dimple

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a slight natural indentation or hollow in the surface of some part of the human body (as on a cheek or the chin)

dimple

verb
dimpled; dimpling\ -​p(ə-​)liŋ How to pronounce dimpling (audio) \

Medical Definition of dimple (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to mark with dimples

intransitive verb

: to exhibit or form dimples

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