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style

n. · v.
US //ˈstaɪɫ// UK //stˈaɪl// style
  1. 1 manner of doing something (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    the particular way that someone does something or that something happens.

    a distinctive manner of expression, action, or performance.

    Example

    Everyone has their own style of learning new information.

    Example

    The manager's leadership style focuses on collaboration rather than strict top-down commands.
  2. 2 fashion and appearance (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    a high quality of design or a fashionable way of dressing.

    elegance or smartness in appearance; adherence to current fashion trends.

    Example

    She always dresses with great style, even when she is just going to the shop.

    Example

    The boutique is famous for its timeless style, attracting customers who prefer classic silhouettes over fleeting trends.
    • tastelessness
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  1. 3 artistic or design category (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a specific design or look used in art, architecture, or music.

    a particular type or category of design, especially one characteristic of a specific period or group.

    Example

    The house was built in a modern style with lots of glass and steel.

    Example

    The cathedral exhibits a classic Gothic style, featuring pointed arches and elaborate stone carvings.
  2. 4 botany (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    the middle part of the female part of a flower.

    the narrow part of the carpel in a flower that connects the ovary and the stigma.

    Example

    The pollen must travel down the style to reach the seeds.

    Example

    In many angiosperms, the length of the style is a critical factor in determining which pollinators can successfully fertilise the plant.

  3. 5 to arrange or design (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to shape or arrange something, like hair or clothes, to look a certain way.

    to design, fashion, or arrange something in a particular aesthetic form.

    Example

    He spent twenty minutes styling his hair before the party.

    Example

    The interior designer was hired to style the apartment for the upcoming magazine photoshoot.
  4. 6 to give a title (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    to give someone a specific name or title.

    to designate or call by a particular name, title, or epithet.

    Example

    The prince was styled as the Duke of Cornwall.

    Example

    Though he had no formal medical training, he styled himself a doctor and opened a small clinic in the village.
  5. 7 to show off (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal American English

    to act in a way that shows you have a lot of style or confidence.

    to behave or perform in a manner intended to exhibit one's stylishness or superior skill.

    Example

    He was styling on the basketball court after making three difficult shots.

    Example

    The young skater was styling in front of the crowd, performing tricks that were as much about flair as they were about technical difficulty.
Origin

The noun is derived from Middle English stile, stel, stele, stiel, stiele, stil, still, stille, styele, style, styill, styll, styyl (“writing tool, stylus; piece of written work; characteristic mode of expression, particularly one regarded as high quality; demeanour, manner, way of life; person's designation or title; stem of a plant; period of time”) (compare semantic development to по́черк (póčerk, “handwriting, style”)), from Old French style, estile, stil, stile (modern French style), or from Medieval Latin stylus, both from Latin stilus (“pointed instrument, pale, spike, stake; writing tool, stylus; act of setting down in writing, composition; characteristic mode of expression, style; stem of a plant”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to be sharp; to pierce, prick, puncture, stab; to goad”). Doublet of stylus. The English word is cognate with Catalan estil (“engraving tool, stylus; gnomon; manner of doing something, style; fashionable skill, grace”), German Stiel (“handle; stalk”), Italian stilo (“needle, stylus; fountain pen; beam; gnomon; part of pistil, style”), Occitan estil, Portuguese estilo (“writing tool, stylus; manner of doing something, style”), Spanish estilo (“writing tool, stylus; manner of doing something, style; fashionable skill, grace; part of pistil, style”). The verb is derived from the noun.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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