ballpoint pen

American  

[bawl-point pen] / ˈbɔlˌpɔɪnt ˈpɛn /

noun

• ballpoint pens
  plural

1. a pen in which the point is a fine ball bearing that rotates against a supply of semisolid ink in a cartridge, thus rolling the ink onto paper.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ballpoint pens
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of ballpoint pen

First recorded in 1945–50; ball ¹ + point

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ballpoint pen

Sonny and Chloe call each other “Bobo,” and in a nice, authentic touch we see he has written that nickname in ballpoint pen on the white sidewall of his sneaker.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

Neatly drawn in black ballpoint pen, the documents displayed what appeared to be official tables of production figures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

Chow, a lawyer who is representing herself, smiled at supporters who waved enthusiastically from the public gallery as the hearing began, while Lee sat quietly in the dock taking notes with a ballpoint pen.

From Barron's ● May 18, 2026

He took a year out to apply to study law, during which he worked as a dustman, on a kibbutz and as a ballpoint pen salesman in South Africa.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2025

There was a ballpoint pen in my hand.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

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