stencil
[ sten-suh l ]
/ ˈstɛn səl /
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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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, nounWords nearby stencil
stemwinder, stemwinding, sten gun, stench, stench trap, stencil, stencilize, stendhal, stengah, stengel, stenion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences 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, nounWord 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
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