a sheet of material (metal, plastic, cardboard, waxed paper, silk, etc.) that has been perforated with a pattern (printing or a design); ink or paint can pass through the perforations to create the printed pattern on the surface below
"The artist carefully taped the stencil made of waxed paper onto the canvas before pouring bright blue paint over it to reveal the intricate floral design."
A thin sheet, either perforated or using some other technique, with which a pattern may be produced upon a surface.
"She used an old newspaper stencil to paint a decorative star on the child's bedroom wall."
mark or print with a stencil
"The workers used a stencil to mark all the new utility boxes on the street before painting them."
To print with a stencil.
"The volunteers used a paper stencil to quickly print the festival logo on every T-shirt before the event started."