Dappled means marked with soft spots of light and shade. Dappled sunlight, a dappled grey horse, dappled shade.
The edges are soft, which is what separates it from spotted. Dappled shade under a tree is what many woodland plants need, and gardeners use the phrase precisely. A dapple grey horse has darker rings on a pale coat.
1adjectivedappledMarked with soft spots of light and shade.
“We sat in the dappled shade of an old oak tree.”
dappled is a pattern.