— stenciler; esp. Brit., stenciller , n.
/sten"seuhl/ , n. , v. , stenciled, stenciling or ( esp. Brit. ) stencilled, stencilling .
n.
1. a device for applying a pattern, design, words, etc., to a surface, consisting of a thin sheet of cardboard, metal, or other material from which figures or letters have been cut out, a coloring substance, ink, etc., being rubbed, brushed, or pressed over the sheet, passing through the perforations and onto the surface.
2. the letters, designs, etc., produced on a surface by this method.
v.t.
3. to mark or paint (a surface) by means of a stencil.
4. to produce (letters, figures, designs, etc.) by means of a stencil.
[ 1375-1425; earlier stanesile, late ME stansele to ornament with diverse colors or spangles estanceler, deriv. of estencele a spark, ornamental spangle stincilla, metathetic var. of L scintilla SCINTILLA ]