Stylus

/ˈstaɪ.ləs/ · noun

Meaning

(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..

Definitions by Sense

1. (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.
2. A hard-pointed pen-shaped instrument for marking on stencils used in a mimeograph machine.
3. A hard point, typically of diamond or sapphire, following a groove in a phonograph and transmitting the recorded sound for reproduction.
4. A tool for making small dots on a piece of heavy paper, used to produce Braille writing for the blind by hand.
5. (botany) Synonym of style.

Example Sentences

[T]he pleasure of writing on wax with a stylus is exemplified by the fine, flowing hand of a Roman scribe who made out the birth certificate of Herennia Gemella, born March 128 AD.

But that tactic may have older roots than we thought; archaeologists have discovered an iron stylus in London, complete with an inscribed joke, that dates back nearly 2,000 years. Of 200 styluses found at a site under Bloomberg’s new European headquarters, only one – dating back to around 70 A.D. – had a message inscribed onto it.

Synonyms for stylus

Antonyms for stylus

Related Words

Word Forms

• styli
• styluses
• stilus

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions