1 pencil | Definition of pencil

pencil

noun
pen·​cil | \ ˈpen(t)-səl How to pronounce pencil (audio) \

Definition of pencil

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an artist's brush
2 : an artist's individual skill or style
3a : 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 (such as a beam of radiation) long and thin like a pencil

pencil

verb
penciled or pencilled; penciling or pencilling\ ˈpen(t)-​s(É™-​)liÅ‹ How to pronounce pencilling (audio) \

Definition of pencil (Entry 2 of 2)

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

Examples of pencil in a Sentence

Noun

Use a pencil instead of a pen so you can erase your mistakes.

Verb

He penciled some notes on a piece of paper.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

There are screens to create animation and some good-old colored pencils and crayons next to a stack of paper on worktables. — Kathy Berdan, Twin Cities, "North End brings a new look, new events center and Angry Birds to Minnesota State Fair," 21 Aug. 2019 In warmer months, Eddie would position himself on a wheeled, wooden platform and sell pencils and newspapers to passersby. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "Remembering Eddie Bernstein, the legless beggar with the monkey named Gypsy," 17 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pencil.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of pencil

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for pencil

Noun

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

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More Definitions for pencil

pencil

noun

English Language Learners Definition of pencil

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: an instrument used for writing and drawing that has a hard outer part and a black or colored center part

pencil

verb

English Language Learners Definition of pencil (Entry 2 of 2)

: to draw or write (something) with a pencil

pencil

noun
pen·​cil | \ ˈpen-səl How to pronounce pencil (audio) \

Kids Definition of pencil

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a device for writing or drawing consisting of a stick of black or colored material enclosed in wood, plastic, or metal

pencil

verb
penciled or pencilled; penciling or pencilling

Kids Definition of pencil (Entry 2 of 2)

: to write, mark, or draw with a pencil

pencil

noun
pen·​cil | \ ˈpen(t)-səl How to pronounce pencil (audio) \

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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Rhyming Dictionary:

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