I. noun
also sti·lus ˈstīləs
( plural sty·li -īˌlī ; also styluses )
Etymology: in sense 1, from New Latin, alteration (probably influenced by Greek stylos pillar) of Latin stilus stake, stylus; in other senses, modification (probably influenced by Greek stylos pillar) of Latin stilus — more at style
1.
a. : style 5b
b. : style 5c, stylet 2b ; especially : any of various small pointed processes on the external genitalia of an insect
2. : indicator , pointer ; especially : the gnomon of a sundial
3. : an instrument for writing or marking: as
a.
(1) : style 1
(2) : an ancient writing instrument for use on papyrus or parchment
b.
(1) : a hard-pointed piece (as of glass or other material) used for tracing or writing on carbon paper so as to make impressions on the paper beneath the carbon
(2) : a hard-pointed pen-shaped instrument for drawing, tracing, lettering, shading, ruling, or handwriting on stencils used in a reproducing or duplicating machine
c.
(1) : needle 5b
(2) : a cutting tool used to produce an original record groove during disc recording — called also cutting stylus
d. : a hard-pointed instrument for punching the dots in writing braille with a braille slate
e. : a device that traces a recording (as of a kymograph or an electrocardiograph) on paper
II. noun
: a pen-shaped pointing device used for entering data (as from a graphics tablet) into a computer