Having spots or marks on the surface, or meaning uneven in quality with some good parts and some bad parts.
From Middle English 'spot' (a mark or stain), plus suffix '-y.' The word has been used since the 1600s to describe things with visible marks; the figurative meaning (uneven quality) developed later.
A spotty record means your performance is inconsistent—some great days, some terrible ones. Athletes and politicians dread being described as 'spotty' because it means people can't rely on you being good!
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