stencil

American  

[sten-suhl] / ˈstɛn səl /

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.

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verb (used with object)

stenciled, stenciling, stencilled, stencilling

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 British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to mark (a surface) with a stencil

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

Other Word Forms

• stenciler noun
• stenciller noun

Etymology

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

Related Words

• arrangement