[sten-suh
l] 
noun, verb, -ciled, -cil⋅ing or (especially British) -cilled, -cil⋅ling.| 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. |
| 3. | to mark or paint (a surface) by means of a stencil. |
| 4. | to produce (letters, figures, designs, etc.) by means of a stencil. |
sten·cil (stěn'səl)  (click for larger image in new window) n.
[From Middle English stencelled, adorned brightly, from Old French estenceler, to adorn brightly, from estencele, spark, from Vulgar Latin *stincilla, alteration of Latin scintilla, spark.] sten'cil·er n. |