# stylus

/ˈstaɪɫəs/ (US) · /stˈaɪləs/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. computing/digital

noun · CEFR B1

a pen-shaped tool used to point, draw, or write on a touch screen.

For teachers: a pen-like input device used to interact with touch-sensitive screens or graphics tablets.

- The artist used a stylus to draw fine lines on her tablet.
- Modern graphic designers often prefer a pressure-sensitive stylus over a mouse for more precise control during digital illustration.

### 2. record player needle

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the small, sharp tip on a record player that follows the grooves in a record to make sound.

For teachers: a small, pointed tip, typically made of diamond or sapphire, that tracks the grooves of a phonograph record to reproduce sound.

- You need to replace the stylus on the record player if the sound becomes fuzzy.
- Audiophiles often invest in high-quality styluses to ensure the most accurate reproduction of the analogue signal from their vinyl collection.

### 3. ancient writing tool

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

a small rod with a pointed end used in ancient times for writing on wax or clay.

For teachers: an ancient writing implement used for scratching characters into wax-covered tablets or clay.

- The museum displayed a Roman stylus found during the excavation.
- Archaeologists discovered several bronze styluses alongside wax tablets, providing evidence of the administrative literacy present in the ancient settlement.

### 4. botany

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the middle part of a flower's female center that supports the top part where pollen lands.

For teachers: the elongated part of a carpel between the ovary and the stigma; a variant spelling of 'style'.

- The pollen travels down the stylus to reach the seeds inside the flower.
- In many angiosperms, the length of the stylus is a critical factor in determining which pollen grains successfully fertilise the ovules.

## Examples

- I use a stylus to draw on my tablet.
- The graphic designer preferred using a pressure-sensitive stylus because it felt more natural than a mouse.
- While modern tablets rely on digital styluses for precision, the term originally referred to the pointed tool used by ancient scribes to mark wax tablets.

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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.