Definition of STENCIL

stencil

Meanings

Plural: stencils

Noun

  • a sheet of material (metal, plastic, cardboard, waxed paper, silk, etc.) that has been perforated with a pattern (printing or a design); ink or paint can pass through the perforations to create the printed pattern on the surface below
  • A thin sheet, either perforated or using some other technique, with which a pattern may be produced upon a surface; a utensil that contains a perforated sheet.
  • A pattern produced using such a utensil.
  • A two-ply master sheet for use with a mimeograph.

Verb

  • mark or print with a stencil
  • To print with a stencil.

Origin / Etymology

Likely a nominalization of Middle English stencellen (“to garnish with bright hues”), borrowed from Middle French estinceller (“to glisten”), from Old French estenceler (“to spark”), from Old French estencele (“spark”), from Vulgar Latin *stincilla, from metathesis of Latin scintilla (“spark”).
The verb is from the noun.

Scrabble Score: 9

stencil is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
stencil is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
stencil is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

stencil is a valid Words With Friends word