# stencil

/ˈstɛnsɪɫ/ (US) · /stˈɛnsəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stencil
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the tool

noun · CEFR B2

a piece of plastic, metal, or paper with a shape cut out of it. You put it on a surface and paint over it to leave the shape behind.

For teachers: a thin sheet of material, such as plastic or metal, with a perforated pattern or design through which ink or paint is applied to a surface.

- The artist used a star-shaped stencil to decorate the child's bedroom wall.
- The industrial designer created a custom brass stencil to ensure the company logo was applied uniformly across every wooden crate.

### 2. the resulting image

noun · CEFR B2

the picture or pattern that you make when you use a stencil.

For teachers: the specific design or lettering produced on a surface by the application of pigment through a stencil.

- The red stencils on the pavement showed the way to the museum.
- Faded stencils of old shipping instructions were still visible on the side of the abandoned warehouse.

## Examples

- She used a stencil to paint the same pattern on every wall.
- The artist applied a stencil to the pavement and sprayed paint to create a large, colorful mural.
- By using a laser-cut stencil, the manufacturer ensured that every metal component received the exact same decorative engraving without manual error.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.