stencil

(stensəl)

transitive verb stenciled or stencilled, stenciling or stencilling

to make, mark, or paint with a stencil

Origin: < ME stansilen, to ornament with spangles < OFr estenceler < estencele, spangle, spark < VL *stincilla, for L scintilla, spark: see scintillate

noun

  1. a thin sheet, as of paper, metal, or impermeable film, with holes cut through in the shape of letters or designs: when ink, paint, etc. is spread over the stencil, the letters or designs are marked on the surface beneath
  2. a pattern, design, letter, etc. made by stenciling

Related Forms:

See stencil in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. A sheet, as of plastic or cardboard, in which a desired lettering or design has been cut so that ink or paint applied to the sheet will reproduce the pattern on the surface beneath.
  2. The lettering or design produced with such a sheet.
  3. The process of printing with such a sheet.
transitive verb sten·ciled or sten·cilled, sten·cil·ing or sten·cil·ling, sten·cils
  1. To mark with a stencil.
  2. To produce by stencil.

Origin:

Origin: From Middle English stencelled, adorned brightly

Origin: , from Old French estenceler, to adorn brightly

Origin: , from estencele, spark

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *stincilla

Origin: , alteration of Latin scintilla, spark

.

Related Forms:

  • stenˈcil·er noun

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stencil

stencil (left) and painted motif

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stencil

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