stencil

Meanings

Noun

• A thin sheet, either perforated or using some other technique, with which a pattern may be produced upon a surface.
• A utensil that contains a perforated sheet through which ink can be forced to create a printed pattern on a surface.
• A pattern produced using such a utensil.
• A two-ply master sheet for use with a mimeograph.

Verb

• To print with a stencil.

Origin

• Likely a nominalization of Middle English stencellen, borrowed from Middle French estinceller, from Old French estenceler, from Old French estencele, from Vulgar Latin *stincilla, from metathesis of Latin scintilla.
• The verb is from the noun.