First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1pencil
noun pen·cil \ˈpen(t)-səl\
: an instrument used for writing and drawing that has a hard outer part and a black or colored center part
Full Definition of PENCIL
1
: an artist's brush
2
: an artist's individual skill or style
3
a : an implement for writing, drawing, or marking consisting of or containing a slender cylinder or strip of a solid marking substance b : a small medicated or cosmetic roll or stick for local applications
4
: a set of geometric objects each pair of which has a common property <the lines in a plane through a point comprise a pencil of lines>
5
: something (as a beam of radiation) long and thin like a pencil
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Origin of PENCIL
Middle English pensel, from Anglo-French pincel, from Vulgar Latin *penicellus, alteration of Latin penicillus, diminutive of peniculus brush, from diminutive of penis tail, penis
2pencil
verb
: to draw or write (something) with a pencil
penciled or pencilledpencil·ing or pencil·ling \-s(ə-)liŋ\
Full Definition of PENCIL
transitive verb
1
: to paint, draw, write, or mark with a pencil
2
: to plan or designate tentatively —used with in <penciled him in as the nominee>
See pencil defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of PENCIL
circa 1532
Rhymes with PENCIL
PENCIL Defined for Kids
1pencil
noun pen·cil \ˈpen-səl\
Definition of PENCIL for Kids
: a device for writing or drawing consisting of a stick of black or colored material enclosed in wood, plastic, or metal
2pencil
verb
pen·ciled or pen·cilledpen·cil·ing or pen·cil·ling
Definition of PENCIL for Kids
: to write, mark, or draw with a pencil
Medical Dictionary
pencil
noun pen·cil \ˈpen(t)-səl\
Medical Definition of PENCIL
1
: a small medicated or cosmetic roll or stick for local applications <a menthol pencil>
2
: an aggregate of rays of radiation (as light) especially when diverging from or converging to a point
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