stylus

noun

sty·​lus ˈstī-ləs 

plural styli ˈstī(-ə)-ˌlī  also styluses ˈstī-lə-səz 

: an instrument for writing, marking, or incising: such as

a

: an instrument used by the ancients in writing on clay or waxed tablets

b

: a hard-pointed pen-shaped instrument for marking on stencils used in a reproducing machine

c(1)

: needle sense 3c

(2)

: a cutting tool used to produce an original record groove during disc recording

d

: a pen-shaped pointing device used for entering data (such as positional information from a graphics tablet) into a computer

Examples of stylus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The stirrers, which since 2020 have been doled out to voters to use as styluses, were ditched for environmental reasons – then readopted after the first days of early voting led some Tennesseans to accidentally select their undesired candidate because of small boxes next to the candidates' names. —Chris Boccia, ABC News, 23 Oct. 2024

Larson believed the contraption would flag false answers via distinct fluctuations etched by a stylus onto a revolving drum of paper. —Susan Saulny, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024

Expect support for the latest stylus, the Apple Pencil Pro, and an improved 8.5-inch display. —David Phelan, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024

Until now, the Apple Pencil Pro was only compatible with the iPad Pro (M4) and iPad Air (M2), so this is now the most cost-effective way to use the stylus. —Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 15 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin stylus, stilus spike, stylus — more at style

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

stylus

noun

sty·​lus ˈstī-ləs 

plural styli ˈstī(ə)l-ˌī  also styluses ˈstī-lə-səz 

1

: an instrument used by the ancients for writing on wax tablets

2

: needle entry 1 sense 4

Medical Definition

stylus

noun

sty·​lus

variants also stilus

ˈstī-ləs 

plural styli ˈstī(ə)l-ˌī  also styluses ˈstī-lə-səz  or stili or stiluses

: an instrument for writing, marking, or incising: as

a

: a hard-pointed instrument for punching the dots in writing braille with a braille slate

b

: a device that traces a recording (as of an electrocardiograph) on paper