stylus
[ stahy-luh s ]
/ ˈstaɪ ləs /
noun, plural sty·li [stahy-lahy] /ˈstaɪ laɪ/, sty·lus·es.
an instrument of metal, bone, or the like, used by the ancients for writing on waxed tablets, having one end pointed for incising the letters and the other end blunt for rubbing out writing and smoothing the tablet.
any of various pointed, pen-shaped instruments used in drawing, artwork, etc.
Computers.
a pen-shaped device used on a display screen to input commands or handwritten text or drawings.
Compare joystick(def 2), mouse(def 4).
Audio.
- Also called cutting stylus. a needle used for cutting grooves in making a disk recording to be played on a phonograph.
- a needle for reproducing the sounds of a phonograph record.
any of various pointed wedges used to punch holes in paper or other material, as in writing Braille.
any of various kinds of pens for tracing a line automatically, as on a recording seismograph or electrocardiograph.
Also
style
(for defs 1, 2).
Origin of stylus
1720–30; < Latin: spelling variant of
stilus stake, pointed writing instrument; spelling with
-y- from fancied derivation < Greek
stŷlos column
Words nearby stylus
stylophone,
stylopize,
stylopodium,
stylops,
stylostixis,
stylus,
stymie,
stymphalian birds,
stymy,
stype,
stypsis
Example sentences from the Web for stylus
British Dictionary definitions for stylus
stylus
/ (ˈstaɪləs) /
noun plural -li (-laɪ) or -luses
Also called: style
a pointed instrument for engraving, drawing, or writing
a tool used in ancient times for writing on wax tablets, which was pointed at one end and blunt at the other for erasing mistakes
a device attached to the cartridge in the pick-up arm of a record player that rests in the groove in the record, transmitting the vibrations to the sensing device in the cartridge. It consists of or is tipped with a hard material, such as diamond or sapphire
Derived forms of stylus
stylar, adjectiveWord Origin for stylus
C18: from Latin, variant of
stilus writing implement; see
style
Medical definitions for stylus
stylus
[ stī′ləs ]
n. pl. sty•lus•es
A pencil-shaped structure.
A pencil-shaped medicinal preparation for external application; as a medicated bougie.
stylet