Webster's English Dictionary

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stencil

1. sten.cil \'sten(t)-s*l\ n [ME stanselen to ornament with sparkling 
   colors, fr. MF estanceler,] fr. estancele spark, fr. (assumed) VL 
   stincilla, fr. L scintilla 1: an impervious material (as a sheet of paper, 
   thin wax, or woven fabric)  perforated with lettering or a design through 
   which a substance (as ink, paint, or metallic powder) is forced onto a 
   surface to be printed 2: a pattern, design, or print produced by means of a 
   stencil  3: a printing process that uses a stencil 
2. stencil or sten.cil.ler \-s(*-)lin\ \-s(*-)l*r\ vt or sten.ciled or 
   sten.cilled;  or sten.cil.ing;  or sten.cil.ling 1: to produce by stencil  
   2: to mark or paint with a stencil  - sten.cil.er n