Main Entry: ¹sten·cil

Pronunciation: \ˈsten(t)-səl\

Function: noun

Etymology: probably ultimately from Middle English stanseld brightly ornamented, from Anglo-French estencelé spangled, past participle of estenceler to sparkle, from estencele spark, from Vulgar Latin *stincilla, alteration of Latin scintilla

Date: 1707

1 : an impervious material (as a sheet of paper, thin wax, or woven fabric) perforated with lettering or a design through which a substance (as ink, paint, or metallic powder) is forced onto a surface to be printed
2 : something (as a pattern, design, or print) that is produced by means of a stencil
3 : a printing process that uses a stencil