stylus
noun
Simple meaning
A pointed tool for writing or drawing or engraving.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
styluhsSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈstaɪləs
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
writing
A pointed tool for writing or drawing or engraving
“He drew the design on the stencil with a steel stylus.”
computing
A small device resembling a pen used to input handwritten text or drawings directly into an electronic device with a touch-sensitive screen.
writing
An ancient writing implement consisting of a small rod with a pointed end for scratching letters on clay, wax-covered tablets or other surfaces, and a blunt end for obliterating them.
A small implement with a pointed end used for engraving and tracing.
A hard point, typically of diamond or sapphire, following a groove in a phonograph and transmitting the recorded sound for reproduction.
A sharp pointed device attached to the cartridge of a record player
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B1 · Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A pointed tool for writing or drawing or engraving
Used this way, stylus is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“He drew the design on the stencil with a steel stylus.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use stylus
- “He drew the design on the stencil with a steel stylus.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
An impact printer in which each character is represented by a pattern of dots made by wires or styli.
A pointer that when pointed at a computer display senses whether or not the spot is illuminated.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.