stencil

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: sten=cil

CIDE DICTIONARY

stencil, n. [Probably from OF. estincelle spangle, spark, F. étincelle spark, L. scintilla. See Scintillate, and cf. Tinsel.].

 A thin plate of metal, leather, or other material, used in painting, marking, etc. The pattern is cut out of the plate, which is then laid flat on the surface to be marked, and the color brushed over it. Called also stencil plate.  [1913 Webster]

stencil, v. t. 

 To mark, paint, or color in figures with stencils; to form or print by means of a stencil.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

stencil, n. & v.
--n.
1 (in full stencil-plate) a thin sheet of plastic, metal, card, etc., in which a pattern or lettering is cut, used to produce a corresponding pattern on the surface beneath it by applying ink, paint, etc.
2 the pattern, lettering, etc., produced by a stencil-plate.
3 a waxed sheet etc. from which a stencil is made by means of a typewriter.
--v.tr. (stencilled, stencilling; US stenciled, stenciling)
1 (often foll. by on) produce (a pattern) with a stencil.
2 decorate or mark (a surface) in this way.

Etymology

ME f. OF estanceler sparkle, cover with stars, f. estencele spark ult. f. L scintilla

THESAURUS

stencil

abstract, abstraction, albertype, altarpiece, block print, book printing, cameography, cartoon, chalk, charcoal, chromotypography, chromotypy, chromoxylography, collage, collotype, color, color print, color printing, copy, crayon, crosshatch, cyclorama, dash off, daub, decal, decalcomania, delineate, depict, design, diagram, diptych, doodle, draft, draw, electronography, electrostatic printing, engraving, fresco, glass printing, graphic arts, gravure, halftone engraving, hatch, history of printing, icon, illumination, illustration, image, job printing, letterpress, letterpress photoengraving, likeness, limn, line engraving, lithography, lithogravure, lithophotogravure, mimeograph, miniature, monotype, montage, mosaic, mural, offset, offset lithography, onset, paint, paint a picture, palaeotypography, panorama, pencil, photo-offset, photochemical process, photoengraving, photogelatin process, photograph, photographic reproduction, photography, photolithography, phototypography, phototypy, photozincography, picture, picturize, planographic printing, planography, portray, print, printing, printmaking, publication, publishing, relief printing, representation, reproduction, rotary photogravure, rotogravure, scratch, scumble, serigraphy, shade, sheetwork, sketch, stained glass window, still life, tableau, tapestry, three-color printing, tint, trace, triptych, two-color printing, typography, typolithography, wall painting, wood-block printing, xerography, xeroprinting, xylotypography, zincography

ROGET THESAURUS

stencil

Painting

VB paint, design, limn draw, sketch, pencil, scratch, shade, stipple, hatch, dash off, chalk out, square up, color, dead color, wash, varnish, draw in pencil, paint in oils, stencil, depict.