an impervious material, e.g. a sheet of paper or metal, perforated with a design or lettering through which a substance, e.g. ink or paint, is forced onto the surface below
a sheet of strong tissue paper impregnated or coated, e.g. with paraffin or wax, for use esp in typing a stencil of a text, from which to produce copies
[Middle English stanselen to ornament with sparkling colours, from Old French estanceler, from estancele spark, ultimately from Latin scintilla]