stencil

[ sten-suhl ]

noun

1. 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.
2. 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.

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

stencil

/ ˈstɛnsəl /

noun

1. 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
2. a decoration, design, or characters produced in this way

verb

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

Derived Forms

• ˈstenciller, noun

Other Words From

• stencil·er especially British, stencil·ler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of stencil¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of stencil¹

C14 stanselen to decorate with bright colours, from Old French estenceler, from estencele a spark, from Latin scintilla

Example Sentences

That was followed by a stencil of a stretching cat on an abandoned billboard in Cricklewood.

From BBC

And in 2018, in a highly theatrical piece of performance art, the artist staged a live destruction of his stencil Girl with Balloon at Sotheby's auction house - moments after it was sold for £1m.

From BBC

Thursday's stencil of a wolf on a satellite dish in Rye Lane, Peckham, was taken down from on top of a building within hours of it being revealed.

From BBC

He also hasn't explained why they're all painted in the same black stencil style.

From BBC

It comes a day after he revealed a goat stencil on a wall near Kew Bridge in Richmond.

From BBC

Related Words

• arrangement