Style Is Named After a Writing Tool
Stylish means fashionable and elegant. The word comes from the stylus used to write on wax, by way of how someone writes.
Stylish means having style: elegant and current. The chain of meaning is neat. Latin *stilus* was the pointed tool for writing on wax; how a person wielded it became their manner of writing; a manner of writing became a manner of doing anything; and having a distinctive one became stylish.
- Fashionable and elegant. *A stylish coat.*
- Done with flair. *A stylish victory.*
- Style — a manner of doing something. *A plain writing style.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | stylish | A stylish design. |
| Adverb | stylishly | Stylishly dressed. |
| Noun | style | House style. |
| Verb | style | Styled by hand. |
| Related | stylus | A stylus pen. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The flat is small but stylish.Appearance.
- They won stylishly.With flair.
- Follow the house style.Publishing conventions.
Style in different fields
- Writing style — the manner of expression
- House style — a publisher's rules on spelling and formatting
- Style guide — the document setting them out
- Stylus — a pointed writing or drawing tool
- Stylistics — the study of style in language
From Latin *stilus*, a pointed writing instrument. The spelling with a y came from a mistaken association with the Greek *stylos*, a pillar.
Why is style spelled with a y?
Through confusion with Greek *stylos*, a column. The Latin original was *stilus* with an i.
Stylish or fashionable?
Fashionable means current. Stylish suggests personal flair that may outlast the fashion.