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stencil

[ sten-suh l ]
/ ˈstɛn səl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR stencil ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a device for applying a pattern, design, words, etc., to a surface, consisting of a thin sheet of cardboard, metal, or other material from which figures or letters have been cut out, a coloring substance, ink, etc., being rubbed, brushed, or pressed over the sheet, passing through the perforations and onto the surface.
the letters, designs, etc., produced on a surface by this method.

verb (used with object), sten·ciled, sten·cil·ing or (especially British) sten·cilled, sten·cil·ling.

to mark or paint (a surface) by means of a stencil.
to produce (letters, figures, designs, etc.) by means of a stencil.

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Words related to stencil

arrangement, trim, motive, diagram, figure, impression, instruction, ornament, guide, decoration, device, plan, mold, original, template

Words nearby stencil

stemwinder, stemwinding, sten gun, stench, stench trap, stencil, stencilize, stendhal, stengah, stengel, stenion

Origin of stencil

1375–1425; earlier stanesile, late Middle English stansele to ornament with diverse colors or spangles < Middle French estanceler, derivative of estencele a spark, ornamental spangle < Vulgar Latin *stincilla, metathetic variant of Latin scintilla scintilla

OTHER WORDS FROM stencil

sten·cil·er; especially British, sten·cil·ler, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for stencil

British Dictionary definitions for stencil

stencil
/ (ˈstɛnsəl) /

noun

a device for applying a design, characters, etc, to a surface, consisting of a thin sheet of plastic, metal, cardboard, etc in which the design or characters have been cut so that ink or paint can be applied through the incisions onto the surface
a decoration, design, or characters produced in this way

verb -cils, -cilling or -cilled or US -cils, -ciling or -ciled (tr)

to mark (a surface) with a stencil
to produce (characters or a design) with a stencil

Derived forms of stencil

stenciller, noun

Word Origin for stencil

C14 stanselen to decorate with bright colours, from Old French estenceler, from estencele a spark, from Latin scintilla
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012