/stuy"leuhs/ , n. , pl. styli /-luy/ , styluses .
1. an instrument of metal, bone, or the like, used by the ancients for writing on waxed tablets, having one end pointed for incising the letters and the other end blunt for rubbing out writing and smoothing the tablet.
2. any of various pointed, pen-shaped instruments used in drawing, artwork, etc.
3. Audio.
a. Also called cutting stylus . a needle used for cutting grooves in making a disk recording to be played on a phonograph.
b. a needle for reproducing the sounds of a phonograph record.
4. any of various pointed wedges used to punch holes in paper or other material, as in writing Braille.
5. any of various kinds of pens for tracing a line automatically, as on a recording seismograph or electrocardiograph.
Also, style (for defs. 1, 2).
[ 1720-30; stilus stake, pointed writing instrument; sp. with -y- from fancied derivation stylos column ]