-style

¹

1. a combining form of style ( defs 14, 15 ):

   blastostyle.

-style

²

1. a combining form with the meanings “column,” “columned,” “having columns (of the kind specified)” used in the formation of compound words:

   orthostyle; urostyle.

style

³

[ stahyl ]

noun

1. a particular kind, sort, or type, as with reference to form, appearance, or character:

   the baroque style; The style of the house was too austere for their liking.

2. a particular, distinctive, or characteristic mode of action or manner of acting:

   They do these things in a grand style.

   Synonyms: approach, method

3. a mode of living, as with respect to expense or display.
4. an elegant, fashionable, or luxurious mode of living:

   to live in style.

5. a mode of fashion, as in dress, especially good or approved fashion; elegance; smartness.

   Synonyms: chic

6. the mode of expressing thought in writing or speaking by selecting and arranging words, considered with respect to clearness, effectiveness, euphony, or the like, that is characteristic of a group, period, person, personality, etc.:

   to write in the style of Faulkner; a familiar style; a pompous, pedantic style.

7. those components or features of a literary composition that have to do with the form of expression rather than the content of the thought expressed:

   His writing is all style and no substance.

8. manner or tone adopted in discourse or conversation:

   a patronizing style of addressing others.

9. a particular, distinctive, or characteristic mode or form of construction or execution in any art or work:

   Her painting is beginning to show a personal style.

   Synonyms: mark, characteristic, touch

10. a descriptive or distinguishing appellation, especially a legal, official, or recognized title:

    a firm trading under the style of Smith, Jones, & Co.

11. stylus ( defs 1, 2 ).
12. the gnomon of a sundial.
13. a method of reckoning time. Compare New Style, old style ( def 2 ).
14. Zoology. a small, pointed process or part.
15. Botany. a narrow, usually cylindrical and more or less filiform extension of the pistil, which, when present, bears the stigma at its apex.
16. the rules or customs of typography, punctuation, spelling, and related matters used by a newspaper, magazine, publishing house, etc., or in a specific publication.

verb (used with object)

, styled, styl·ing.

1. to call by a given title or appellation; denominate; name; call:

   The pope is styled His or Your Holiness.

2. to design or arrange in accordance with a given or new style:

   to style an evening dress; to style one's hair.

3. to bring into conformity with a specific style or give a specific style to:

   Please style this manuscript.

verb (used without object)

, styled, styl·ing.

1. to do decorative work with a style or stylus.

style

/ staɪl /

noun

1. a form of appearance, design, or production; type or make

   a new style of house

2. the way in which something is done

   good or bad style

3. the manner in which something is expressed or performed, considered as separate from its intrinsic content, meaning, etc
4. a distinctive, formal, or characteristic manner of expression in words, music, painting, etc
5. elegance or refinement of manners, dress, etc
6. prevailing fashion in dress, looks, etc
7. a fashionable or ostentatious mode of existence

   to live in style

8. the particular mode of orthography, punctuation, design, etc, followed in a book, journal, etc, or in a printing or publishing house
9. the distinguishing title or form of address of a person or firm
10. botany the stalk of a carpel, bearing the stigma
11. zoology a slender pointed structure, such as the piercing mouthparts of certain insects
12. See New Style, Old Style
    a method of expressing or calculating dates See Old Style New Style
13. See stylus
    another word for stylus
14. the arm of a sundial

verb

1. to design, shape, or tailor

   to style hair

2. to adapt or make suitable (for)
3. to make consistent or correct according to a printing or publishing style
4. to name or call; designate

   to style a man a fool

5. intr to decorate objects using a style or stylus

style

/ stīl /

1. The slender part of a flower pistil, connecting the ovary and the stigma. The pollen tube grows through the style delivering the pollen nuclei to the ovary.
2. See more at flower

Derived Forms

• ˈstylar, adjective
• ˈstyler, noun

Other Words From

• styleless adjective
• styleless·ness noun
• stylelike adjective
• anti·style noun
• counter·style noun
• mis·style verb misstyled misstyling
• re·style verb restyled restyling
• un·styled adjective
• well-styled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of -style¹

< Greek stŷlos column or -stȳlos -columned, adj. derivative of stŷlos

Origin of -style²

First recorded in 1350–1400; (noun) Middle English, from Latin stylus, spelling variant, mistakenly associated with Greek stŷlos “pillar, column,” of stilus “tool for writing,” hence, “written composition, style”; stylus; (verb) from the noun, first recorded in 1560–80

Word History and Origins

Origin of -style¹

C13: from Latin stylus, stilus writing implement, hence characteristics of the writing, style

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go out of style, to become unfashionable:

   The jacket he's wearing went out of style ten years ago.

2. in style, fashionable.

More idioms and phrases containing -style

see cramp someone's style ; go out (of style) ; in fashion (style) .

Synonym Study

See fashion.

Example Sentences

Her style, much like her diminutive nickname, is best described as “Hamptons twee”—preppy and peppy.

From The Daily Beast

Although he brings a Western spin to things, he seems equally inspired by the local sense of style.

From The Daily Beast

Spin control began, Florida-style: the opinion only covers some counties, some people, some times.

From The Daily Beast

This leads him to some James Frey-style mythmaking of his own.

From The Daily Beast

Who knew that “we shall overcome” meant “we, the few, shall book covers every decade or so, maybe, sometimes, if we are in style.”

From The Daily Beast

He simply devoured books, studying every detail of construction, and learning a great deal as to style and effect.

From Project Gutenberg

She also played his Fourteenth Rhapsody with orchestral accompaniment in most bold and dashing style.

From Project Gutenberg

Sounds rotten, but that's their style; and you've been through the mill at home enough to know what it is to be knifed socially.

From Project Gutenberg

He wasn't the style of man that I'd care to stir up trouble with, judging from his size and the shape of his head.

From Project Gutenberg

Our luggage, I remember, p. 5was carried on the roof of the carriage in the good old-fashioned coaching style.

From Project Gutenberg