stencil

C1 Topic:Art & Music

US /ˈstɛn.səl/ UK /ˈsten.səl/ See IPA manual

Freq #47553

Meanings

1

noun
a thin sheet with letters, shapes, or a design cut from it, used to reproduce the pattern on another surface

She taped the leaf stencil to the wall before applying paint.
2

noun
a design or image produced by applying ink or paint through such a template

A blue floral stencil ran along the top of the cabinet.
3

verb
to mark, decorate, or print a surface by means of a stencil

Volunteers stenciled room numbers above the doors.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a thin sheet with letters,... template pattern mask

2 noun · a design or image produced... stenciled designpattern

3 verb · to mark, decorate, or print... template print mark

Word family

Forms stencilling

Derived forms stencilerstencilmakerstencilmaking

Related forms pochoirscreen printinggraffiti

Etymology

Probably related to Middle English stencellen, 'to decorate with bright colors,' from Old French estenceler, 'to sparkle,' ultimately from Latin scintilla, 'spark.' The noun came to name a perforated patterning sheet, and the verb developed from that tool.

Topics

Art & Music

External links

# stencil

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈstɛn.səl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsten.səl/
**Frequency rank:** 47553

## Meanings
1. a thin sheet with letters, shapes, or a design cut from it, used to reproduce the pattern on another surface
2. a design or image produced by applying ink or paint through such a template
3. to mark, decorate, or print a surface by means of a stencil

## Examples
- She taped the leaf stencil to the wall before applying paint.
- A blue floral stencil ran along the top of the cabinet.
- Volunteers stenciled room numbers above the doors.

## Synonyms
- template
- pattern
- mask

## Derived Forms
- stenciler
- stencilmaker
- stencilmaking

## Related Forms
- pochoir
- screen printing
- graffiti

## Etymology
Probably related to Middle English stencellen, 'to decorate with bright colors,' from Old French estenceler, 'to sparkle,' ultimately from Latin scintilla, 'spark.' The noun came to name a perforated patterning sheet, and the verb developed from that tool.

## Topics
- Art & Music

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