plural styli
ˈstī(-ə)-ˌlī 
also styluses
ˈstī-lə-səz
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)
(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
Image: Microsoft The Surface Pro’s hardware has been solid for a while now — the full kit with keyboard and stylus can be expensive, and power users have been asking for more ports, but the Surface Pro 9’s design and build quality didn’t get much wrong.
—
David Pierce, The Verge, 20 May 2024
So far, research suggests that scribbling with a stylus on a screen activates the same brain pathways as etching ink on paper.
—Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 11 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for stylus 
David Pierce, The Verge, 20 May 2024
So far, research suggests that scribbling with a stylus on a screen activates the same brain pathways as etching ink on paper.
—Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 11 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for stylus
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stylus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near stylus
Cite this Entry
“Stylus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stylus. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stylus
noun
sty·lus
ˈstī-ləs
plural styli
ˈstī(ə)l-ˌī
also styluses
ˈstī-lə-səz
also styluses
ˈstī-lə-səz
1
: an instrument used by the ancients for writing on wax tablets
Medical Definition
stylus
noun
sty·lus
variants
also stilus
plural styli
ˈstī(ə)l-ˌī
also styluses
ˈstī-lə-səz
or stili or stiluses
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
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