stencil

C1 Topic:General Vocabulary

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.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

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

Topics

General Vocabulary

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
- General Vocabulary

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