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stencil

Syllabification: (sten·cil)

Pronunciation: /ˈstensəl/

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Definition of stencil

noun

a thin sheet of cardboard, plastic, or metal with a pattern or letters cut out of it, used to produce the cut design on the surface below by the application of ink or paint through the holes.
a design produced by a stencil:a floral stencil around the top of the room

verb (stencils, stenciling, stenciled ; Britishstencils, stencilling, stencilled)

[with object]

decorate (a surface) with a stencil:the walls had been stenciled with designs (as noun stenciling)the art of stenciling
produce (a design) with a stencil:stencil a border around the door (as adjective stenciled)the stenciled letters

Origin:

early 18th century: from earlier stansel 'ornament with various colors' (based on Latin scintilla 'spark')

Spelling rule

Do not double the final consonant when adding endings that begin with a vowel to a word that ends in a vowel plus a consonant, if the stress is not at the end of the word (as in target): (stencils, stenciling, stenciled).

stencil in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of stencil in the British & World English dictionary

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