I. ˈsten(t)-səl 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
II. transitive verb
( sten·ciled or sten·cilled ; sten·cil·ing or sten·cil·ling -s(ə-)liŋ)
Date: circa 1828
1. : to mark or paint with a stencil
2. : to produce by stencil
• sten·cil·er or sten·cil·ler -s(ə-)lər noun