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.
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
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