pencil

1 of 2

noun

pen·​cil ˈpen(t)-səl 

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 (such as a beam of radiation) long and thin like a pencil

pencil

2 of 2

verb

penciled or pencilled; penciling or pencilling ˈpen(t)-s(ə-)liŋ 

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

The growing collection features colors, scents and packaging designed and tested by Parton herself with prices ranging from $12 for eye pencils to $20 for mascara and lipstick. —Melonee Hurt, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

What's next: The city will now ask the developer to provide evidence that each waiver is needed to make the affordable housing pencil out. —Andrew Keatts, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024

Verb

Ronny Mauricio recently started baseball activities, but the Mets aren’t about to pencil the infielder in for a spring training position battle just yet. —Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 9 Dec. 2024

Roberts penciled him into the lineup, batting third, against the Philadelphia Phillies. —Fabian Ardaya, The Athletic, 5 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pencil

• blue pencil
• eyebrow pencil
• grease pencil
• in pencil
• lead pencil
• mechanical pencil
• pencil case
• pencil in
• pencil pusher
• pencil sharpener
• propelling pencil
• red-pencil
• styptic pencil

Kids Definition

pencil

1 of 2 noun

pen·​cil ˈpen(t)-səl 

1

: an instrument for writing, drawing, or marking consisting of or containing a slender cylinder or strip of a solid marking substance

2

: something like a pencil in form or use

an eyebrow pencil

pencil

2 of 2 verb

penciled or pencilled; penciling or pencilling

ˈpen(t)-s(ə-)liŋ

: to mark, draw, or write with or as if with a pencil

Etymology

Noun

Middle English pensel "an artist's brush, pencil," from early French pincel (same meaning), derived from Latin penicillus, literally, "little tail" — related to penicillin see Word History at ³pen

Medical Definition

pencil

noun

pen·​cil ˈpen(t)-səl 

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