/ ˈstensl; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
a thin piece of metal, plastic or card with a design cut out of it, that you put onto a surface and paint over so that the design is left on the surface; the pattern or design that is produced in this way
■ verb
( -ll- , NAmE also -l- ) [ vn , v ] to make letters or a design on sth using a stencil
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WORD ORIGIN
early 18th cent.: from earlier stansel ornament with various colours (based on Latin scintilla spark).