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