The word style is derived from

1.
Stylistics and its objectives. Definitions of style. Subdivisions
of stylistics.

It
gets more complicated when we talk about the object of research
and the material of studies of stylistics.

The
term itself – stylistics
—
came into existence not too long ago.

However,
the scope of problems and the object of stylistic study go as far
back as ancient schools of rhetoric
and poetics.

All
expressive means (the object of its research) were divided into 3
large groups:

-Tropes,

-Rhythm
(Figures of Speech), and

-Types
of Speech.

stylistics
is a branch of linguistics, which studies the principles, and the
effect of choice and usage of different language elements in
rendering thought and emotion under different conditions of
communication.

I.R.Galperin
asserts that stуlistiсs, sometimes called
l i n g u o s t y
l i s t i c s, is a branch of general linguistics that mainly
deals with two interdependent objectives:

—
the investigation of the special language media which secure the
desirable effect of the utterance, and

—
the investigation of certain types of texts which (due to the
choice and arrangement of language means) are distinguished by the
pragmatic aspect of communication.

These
two tasks of stylistics are clearly discernible as separate fields
of its investigation.

The
special media are called stylistic
devices and
expressive means (SD’s
and EM’s); the types of texts are called functional
styles (FS’s).

Stylistics
as a branch of linguistics overlaps with such adjacent disciplines
as theory of information, theory of communication, literature
studies, psychology, sociology, logic and some others.

Stylistics,
as the term implies, deals with styles.

The
word style
is
derived from the Latin word ‘stilus’ (‘stylus’) or Greek
‘stylos’ which meant a short stick sharp at one end and flat
at the other used by the Romans for writing on wax tablets. Later
it was associated with the manner of writing.

Today
it can be applied in any activity which can be performed in more
than one way (manner), verbal communication including.

In
linguistics the word ‘style’ has acquired so many
interpretations that it gives ground for ambiguity.

Style
is frequently regarded as something that belongs exclusively to
the plane
of expression
and not to the plane of content because one and the same idea can
be expressed in different ways.

S.
Chatman defines style ‘as a product of individual choices and
patterns
of choices among
linguistic possibilities.

Style
is often understood as a
technique
of expression, i.e.
the
ability to write clearly, correctly and in a manner calculated to
interest the reader. Style in this sense deals with the normalized
forms of the language.

The
generic term ‘style’ is often identified with the individual
style of an author, or
the authorial style.

I.R.
Galperin believes that the individual style of an author is only
one of the applications of the term ‘style’.

Style
is frequently treated as the
embellishment of language. Language
and style as embellishment are regarded as separate bodies when
style is imposed on language for artistic effect.

The
subdivision of linguostylistics is based on the level-forming
approach:
sounds,
words, phrases and sentences, paragraphs and texts are studied
from the point of view of their expressive capacities, or
stylistic function. Нere belong:

• Lexical
  stylistics (stylistic lexicology).

• Phonostylistics
  (stylistic phonetics).
  

• Grammatical
  stylistics. (Morphological stylistics, Syntactical stylistics)

• Functional
  stylistics (the theory of functional styles).

• Text
  stylistics is one more branch of stylistic research.

2.
The Religious style.

The
style of religion is one of the recognized varieties of English
distinguished by certain functions and a specific sphere of
communication.

The
main aims
of the religious functional style — expressing
religious belief on public occasions, explaining the existing
world, regulating individual/group behaviour.

Elements
of the religious style may be used also in literature; they as
well can penetrate the daily colloquial speech in the form of
allusions, quotations, set expressions and create humour. The
religious style is realized in numerous forms and practices: the
texts from the Bible, books of prayers and religious hymns, common
prayers, sermons, songs. According to D. Crystal and D. Davy
(1969), it falls into at least three substyles:

1)
the biblical substyle,

2)
the liturgical substyle, and

3)
the theological discourse substyle.

The
core of the religious style is formed by the biblical substyle,
which seriously influences all subspheres of religious
communication. Biblical quotations come through all other
substyles. Reading from the Scriptures play the main part in most
liturgical services. The biblical substyle is of particular
interest to stylistics due to its metaphorical (figurative)
language. Stylistically relevant is also the fact that the texts
of the Bible (73 books) are available in many variants.

Phonological
and graphological peculiarities

The
characteristic feature of a prayer spoken in unison by the
congregation is monotony and frequent level tones.

Prayers
spoken by one person are also characterized by narrowness of pitch
range and drop in the pitch at the end.

Though
one speaker may vary the pitch level, as well as slow down and
increase the pace of articulation.

Priests
do it to distinguish some words of particular importance from the
rest of the text.

In
writing religious texts can be marked by special typographical
techniques (italics, bold type, different colours, small type,
etc.) that make the corresponding parts stand out.

Capitalization
draws attention to some important words (e.g. Lord, God, Father,
Son, The Holy Spirit, etc.).

Paragraphs
can be numbered.

Grammatical
features

Syntax
is characterized by

-the
use of complete, complex and compound sentences;

-the
tendency towards coordination (within the sentence as well as
within nominal and verbal groups);

-frequent
occurrence of inverted word order, detachment, parallel
constructions (accompanied by lexical and root repetition),
anaphora, epiphora, polysyndeton, etc.

Other
peculiarities are the use of the archaic pronouns (e.g. thou, thy,
etc.) and verb forms (e.g loveth; thou asketh, etc.), the use of
the direct address.Vocabulary

The
religious style is distinguished by rich imagery created by
similes, metaphors, metonymies, epithets, etc. In old versions
there are plenty archaic words (e.g. a publican for a person who
collected taxes).Besides, the words and combinations used in
religious texts belong to the formal or elevated layers (e.g. to
glorify, to have mercy, sacred, etc.). The language of religious
texts is also marked by frequent oppositions (e.g. seek – find,
ask – receive). Theology operates special terms (e.g. prophecy,
virtue, sin, vice, sacrifice, etc.) – religious vocabulary that
is connected with the concept of God.

3.
Classification of functional styles. Different points of view.

It
is the notion of style that has to do with how we use the language
under specific circumstances for a specific purpose.

T.A.
Znamenskaya believes that the existent definitions of the notion
‘style’ intersect with 3 meanings: 1.
A
variety of the national language traditionally used in one of the
identifiable spheres of life that is characterized by a particular
set of linguistic features, including vocabulary, grammar and
pronunciation.-the degree of formality — social, occupational and
regional varieties. E.g.
neutral, upper-class, literary (high).

2.
A generally accepted linguistic identity of oral and written units
of discourse (speech). Such units demonstrate style not only in a
special choice of linguistic means but in their very arrangement,
or composition.

3.
An individual manner of expression

The
norm
is dictated by the social
roles of the participants of communication.
This brings us to the conclusion that norms
are flexible and varied. In
Soviet and Post Soviet — the
theory of functional styles,
or functional
stylistics (V.V.
Vinogradov, I.V. Arnold, and others).

The
term comes right from the consideration of such notions as
function
(the
purpose or aim of communication), sphere of communication and
norm
in their relation to speech varieties and their classification.

Classifications
of functional styles.Besides,
styles
are not homogeneous and fall into several variants all having some
central point of resemblance. They are called substyles,
that later fall into genres,
and
change
in quality and
quantity.
I.V.
Arnold
suggested a classification of FS according the basic linguistic
function they fulfill. She started with a kind of abstract notion
termed neutral
style.
It has no distinctive features and its function is to provide a
standard background for the other styles. The other – ‘real’
styles
are divided into two groups:

1.
Colloquial styles:
literary colloquial; familiar colloquial; low colloquial.

2.
Literary bookish styles:
a) scientific ; b) official documents; c) publicist (newspaper);
d) oratorical; e) poetic (lofty-poetical).

The
function of colloquial styles is intercourse;
of scientific prose and official documents – information;
publicist, oratorical and poetic – influence.
I.R.
Galperin
in his definition of a functional style stresses the
aim of communication. 5
functional styles and suggests their subdivision into substyles:

1.The
belles-lettres style:

a)
poetry; b) emotive (imaginative) prose or fiction; c) the
language of the drama.

2.The
publicist style:
oratory and speeches; b) the essay; c) articles.

3.
The
newspaper style:
a) brief news items; b) headlines; c) advertisements and
announcements; d) the editorial.

4.The
scientific prose style:
a) exact sciences; b) humanitarian sciences;

c)
popular science prose.

5.The
style of official documents:
a)
business documents; b) legal documents; c) the language of
diplomacy; d) military documents

I.R.
Galperin includes in his classification only the written varieties
of the language. Thus, he recognizes no colloquial style. His
position about the belles-lettres style (esp. the epithets emotive
or imaginative
for prose) is not shared by all — every speech variety in books of
fiction. Besides, works of literature are always the reflection of
the author’s individual manner.

Y.M.
Skrebnev uses
the term sublanguages
According to him, style is a specificity of sublanguage,
and
any
sublanguage has

a)
absolutely specific linguistic items that belong to one
sublanguage b) relatively specific linguistic
items
c) non-specific linguistic
items
– common to all sublanguages. He maintains that the
number
of sublanguages and their styles is infinite
. Y.M. Skrebnev rejects the idea of the complete classification of
styles and believes that ‘there are as many sublanguages with
their styles as you choose’ (including idiolects).The scholar
recognizes only the two major varieties of language use – formal
and informal
(or ‘officialese’
(devoid of any indication of private emotions and of any trace of
familiarity) and colloquial
(familiar, unceremonious)).

V.L.
Naer’s
classification
includes
seven
styles: -official documents, -scientific papers,
-professional-technical, -newspaper, -publicist, -belles-lettres,
-religious texts.

D.
Crystal,
a British scholar, recognizes 5 language varieties:

Regional
varieties
that reflect the geographical origin of the language used by the
speaker.

Social
varieties
that testify to the speaker’s family, education, social status
background.

Occupational
varieties
that
include
the following types: religious English; scientific English;legal
English;plain (official) English;political English; news media
English which is further subdivided into: newsreporting,
journalistics, broadcasting, sportscommentary, advertising.

Restricted
English
includes uses of language when little or no linguistic variation
is permitted.

Individual
variation
involves
types of speech that arise from the speaker’s personal features,
i.e. physique, interests, personality, experience, etc.

4.
The Style of scientific prose.

Terms
are w-ds denoting various scientifical & techn. Objects,
phenomena & processes. They are found in techn. Texts where
they are indespensible means of expressing ideas. They directly
refer to the o-t they mean. They are emotionally neutral. They
are: 1- monosemantic; 2-m-ng doesn’t depend on the context;3-it
remains constant until some new invention changes it(wireless
set=radio); 4- no emotional colouring,but it can obtain it when
taken out from techn. Sphere.

St-c
f-s: 1- to create a realistic background for the novel;2- ### a
humorous effect if t. are used in lexical surrounding abs-ly
foreign to them. T. gradually lose their quality of terms &
pass into common literary or neutral vocabulary.

T.
are mainly used in scient. Prose. This style includes different
articles, monographs, conference proceedings & other kinds of
academic publications.the main ch-cs are precision,logical
cohesion, repeated use of clichés.

5.
The newspaper style.

As
it was seen from the given classifications, some scholars
discriminate between the newspaper style and the publicist(ic)
style, some do not, uniting all the varieties of the journalistic
sphere either under the term newspaper
or
publicist style, the mass media style,
etc.

I.V.
Arnold uses the term newspaper style for both of them.

I.R.
Galperin following V.L. Naer discriminates between them due to the
function performed: to
inform
in newspaper writing or to
evaluate and
convince
in publicist one, etc.

This
fact immensely complicates the task of singling out the absolutely
specific language peculiarities typical of all the news media
genres.

The
core element in the print media output is a news report. It is
always an account of current news, something of timely importance,
something burning and topical for the moment. It is compiled by
reporters whose main
goal is to inform.
The headline is written in a telegraphic manner; it is critical,
summarizing, always suggestive and drawing attention to a news
story.

The
function
of the headline is
complex.
it
informs.
to
arouse interest
in the potential reader and to
catch his eye.Headlines
may later be expanded by subheadlines.

‘Eye-catching’
effects of a headline.

The
rest of the distinctive linguistic features of a news report
relate to a special layout known as an inverted pyramid. It means
the top down presentation of information that comes in a
descending order of significance.

The
lead gives or summarizes the answers to the following ‘5 ws and
h: who? what? when? where? why?’ and the sequential ‘how?’
Manner: -preference is given to standard phrases and clichés;
-the vocabulary used is neutral and common literary;- done in the
third person with a lot of resorts to passive forms. The language
of news items is stylistically neutral. Grammatical
parameters:-complex sentences with a developed system of clauses,
-verbal constructions (inf, participial, gerundial), -verbal noun
constructions, — syntactical complexes (esp. the nominative with
the infinitive). These structures are largely used to avoid
mentioning the source of information or to shun responsibility for
the facts reported.

Essays
are defined as short literary compositions that deal with the
problem from an individual point of view. According to the manner
of presentation essays fall into several varieties: -descriptive
(making a picture of smb. or smth.), -narrative (telling a real
story), -expository (based on argumentation), etc.

The
short
paragraphs
found in news reporting are
unlikely
in a feature article.

Argumentation,
or logical reasoning, is conveyed by -clear paragraphing; -an
ample use of quotations from authoritative sources and citations
of the author’s opponents; -connectives establishing a causal
link; -parentheses; -generalizations; -relevant statistical data;
-illustrations; -vivid examples; — background history facts;
-sound analogies and parallels; -accentuating the main points
graphical means, etc.

Emotions:-the
emotionally coloured lexicon; -the whole range of tropes and
figures of speech; -historical, literary and biblical allusions,
allusions to political and other facts of the day; -such
phonological means as alliteration and rhythm; etc.

On
the pages of a newspaper or a magazine one also finds crossword
puzzles, chess problems, comic strips, horoscopes, letters to the
editor. Some of them publish poems, stories and novels (one
installment per issue), etc.

6.
The style of official documents.

I.R.
Galperin’s classification of substyles of the official documents
style includes

-diplomatic
documents,

-business
documents,

-legal
documents, and

-military
documents.

Y.M.
Skrebnev adds here personal documents (certificates, diplomas,
etc.)

The
main aim of
this type of communication
is to reach an agreement and to state the conditions binding two
parties (the
state and the citizen, the citizen and the citizen, the state and
the state) in
an undertaking
.

Generally
objective, concrete, unemotional and impersonal, the style of
official documents presupposes

-adherence
to a special compositional design (coded graphical layout,
clear-cut subdivision into units of information, logical
arrangement of these units, order-of-priority organization of
content and information);

-prevalence
of stylistically neutral (used in direct meaning) and bookish
vocabulary;

-the
use of terminology
and
officialese
vocabulary (cliches, opening and conclusive phrases);

-the
use of conventional and
archaic
forms and words;

-the
use of foreign words (especially Latin and French);

-the
encoded character of the language reflected in the use of
abbreviations, contractions, conventional symbols,
e.g.
M.P. , Ltd (limited), $;

-absence
of tropes and evaluative or emotionally coloured vocabulary;

-a
general syntactical mode of combining several pronouncements into
one sentence;

-an
accurate use of punctuation, etc.

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• stile (obsolete)

Etymology[edit]

The noun is derived from Middle English stile, stel, stele, stiel, stiele, stil, still, stille, styele, style, styill, styll, styyl (“writing tool, stylus; piece of written work; characteristic mode of expression, particularly one regarded as high quality; demeanour, manner, way of life; person’s designation or title; stem of a plant; period of time”),^[1] from Old French style, estile, stil, stile (modern French style), or from Medieval Latin stylus, both from Latin stilus (“pointed instrument, pale, spike, stake; writing tool, stylus; act of setting down in writing, composition; characteristic mode of expression, style; stem of a plant”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to be sharp; to pierce, prick, puncture, stab; to goad”).^[2][3] Doublet of stylus.

The English word is cognate with Catalan estil (“engraving tool, stylus; gnomon; manner of doing something, style; fashionable skill, grace”), German Stiel (“handle; stalk”), Italian stilo (“needle, stylus; fountain pen; beam; gnomon; part of pistil, style”), Occitan estil, Portuguese estilo (“writing tool, stylus; manner of doing something, style”), Spanish estilo (“writing tool, stylus; manner of doing something, style; fashionable skill, grace; part of pistil, style”).^[2]

The verb is derived from the noun.^[4]

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) enPR: stīl, IPA^(key): /staɪl/
• Homophone: stile
• Rhymes: -aɪl

Noun[edit]

style (countable and uncountable, plural styles)

1. Senses relating to a thin, pointed object.
   1. (historical) A sharp stick used for writing on clay tablets or other surfaces; a stylus; (by extension, obsolete) an instrument used to write with ink; a pen.

      • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, book II, page 26:

        Thus while his Thoughts the lingring Day beguile, / To gentle Arcite let us turn our Style; […]

   2. A tool with a sharp point used in engraving; a burin, a graver, a stylet, a stylus.

      • 1821, James Townley, chapter I, in Illustrations of Biblical Literature, Exhibiting the History and Fate of the Sacred Writings, from the Earliest Period to the Present Century; […], volume I, London: Printed [by B. Crompton] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], →OCLC, part I (From the Giving of the Law to the Birth of Christ), page 27:

        From Job xix. 24. it appears to have been usual in his day, to write or engrave upon Plates of Lead, which might easily be done with a Pen, or Graver, or Style of Iron, or other hard metal.

   3. The gnomon or pin of a sundial, the shadow of which indicates the hour.

      • 1697, Joseph Moxon, “Operat[ioni] II. To Describe a Dyal upon a Horizontal Plane.”, in Mechanick Dyalling: Teaching any Man, though of an Ordinary Capacity and Unlearned in Mathematicks, to Draw a True Sun-dial on any Given Plane, […], 3rd edition, London: Printed for James Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 17:

        Laſt of all fit a Triangular Iron, whoſe angular point being laid to the Center of the Dyal Plane, one ſide muſt agree with the Subſtilar Line, and its other ſide with the Stilar Line; ſo is the Stile made. And this Stile you muſt erect perpendicularly over the Subſtilar Line on the Dyal Plane, and there fix it. Then is your Dyal finiſhed.

   4. (botany) The stalk that connects the stigma(s) to the ovary in a pistil of a flower.

      Synonym: stylet

      • 1751, John Hill, A General Natural History: Or, New and Accurate Descriptions of the Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals of the Different Parts of the World; […], London: Printed for Thomas Osborne, […], →OCLC, page 268:

        The calyx of Theophraſta is a ſmall, permanent perianthium, divided into five obtuſe ſegments, making obtuſe angles alſo with one another: […] the ſtyle is ſubulated, and ſhorter than the corolla: the ſtigma is acute.

   5. (surgery) A kind of surgical instrument with a blunt point, used for exploration.

      Synonym: stylet

   6. (zoology) A small, thin, pointed body part.

      Synonym: stylet

      1. (entomology) A long, slender, bristle-like process near the anal region.

         the anal styles of insects

2. (by extension from sense 1.1) A particular manner of expression in writing or speech, especially one regarded as good.

   • 1678, John Bunyan, “The Author’s Apology for His Book”, in The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC; reprinted in The Pilgrim’s Progress (The Noel Douglas Replicas), London: Noel Douglas, […], 1928, →OCLC:

     May I not write in such a ſtile as this? / In ſuch a method too, and yet not miſs / Mine end, thy good? why may it not be done?

   • 1752 January 21 (indicated as 1751 Old Style)​, Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, “Letter CCVIII”, in Letters Written by the Late Right Honourable Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, to His Son, Philip Stanhope, Esq; […] In Four Volumes, volume III, 6th edition, London: Published by Mrs. Eugenia Stanhope, […]; printed for J[ames] Dodsley, […], published 1775, →OCLC, page 113:

     Read Lord Bolingbroke’s [book] with great attention, as well as to the ſtyle as to the matter. I wiſh you could form yourſelf ſuch a ſtyle in every language. Style is the dreſs of thoughts, and a well-dreſſed thought, like a well-dreſſed man, appears to great advantage.

   • 1790, Conyers Middleton, “To the Right Honorable John Lord Hervey, Lord Keeper of His Majesty’s Privy Seal”, in The History of the Life of M. Tullius Cicero, volume I, new edition, Basel: Printed for J. J. Tourneisen [i.e., Johann Jakob Thurneysen]; and J. L. Legrand, →OCLC, page iii:

     The public will naturally expect, that in chuſing a Patron for the Life of Cicero, I should addreſs myſelf to ſome perſon of illuſtrious rank, diſtinguished by his parts and eloquence, and bearing a principal share in the great affairs of the Nation; who, according to the uſual ſtyle of Dedications, might be the proper ſubject of a compariſon with the Hero of my piece.

   • 1806 February, Isaac D’Israeli, “Remarks on Style”, in The Literary Magazine, and American Register, volume V, number XXIX, Philadelphia, Pa.: Published by J[ohn] Conrad & Co. [et al.], →OCLC, page 105, column 1:

     After all, it is style alone by which posterity will judge of a great work, for an author can have nothing truly his own but his style; facts, scientific discoveries, and every kind of information, may be seized by all; but an author’s diction cannot be taken from him.

   • 1995, “Perspectives”, in Henning Bergenholtz and Sven Tarp, editor, Manual of Specialised Lexicography: The Preparation of Specialised Dictionaries (Benjamins Translation Library; 12), Amsterdam; Philadelphia, Pa.: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 236:

     Methods for more «intelligent» spellchecking as well as for automatic checking of grammar and style are on the way, but they will require the support of electronic dictionaries.

   1. A legal or traditional term or formula of words used to address or refer to a person, especially a monarch or a person holding a post or having a title.

      Monarchs are often addressed with the style of Majesty.

      • 1683, Joseph Moxon, “§ 25. The Office of the Warehouse-keeper. [(As an Appendix.) Ancient Customs Used in a Printing-house.]”, in Mechanick Exercises: Or, The Doctrine of Handy-books. Applied to the Art of Printing, volume II, London: Printed for Joseph Moxon […], →OCLC, number XXII, page 356:

        Every Printing-houſe is by the Cuſtom of Time out of mind, called a Chappel; and all the Workmen that belong to it are Members of the Chappel: and the Oldeſt Freeman is the Father of the Chappel. I ſuppoſe the ſtile was originally conferred upon it by the courteſie of ſome great Churchman, or men, (doubtleſs when Chappels were in more veneration than of late years they have been here in England) who for the Books of Divinity that proceeded from a Printing-houſe, gave it the Reverend Title of Chappel.

      • 1796, Edmund Burke, A Letter from the Right Honourable Edmund Burke to a Noble Lord [William Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam], on the Attacks Made upon Him and His Pension, in the House of Lords, by the Duke of Bedford and the Earl of Lauderdale, Early in the Present Sessions of Parliament, London: Printed for J. Owen, […], and F[rancis] and C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC, page 10:

        One ſtyle to a gracious benefactor, another to a proud, inſulting foe.

      • 1821 May 26, “Annals of the Coinage of Britain and Its Dependencies, from the Earliest Period of Authentic History to the End of the Fiftieth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King George III. By the Rev. Rogers Ruding, […] The Second Edition, Corrected, Enlarged, and Continued to the Close of the Year 1818. 5 vols. 8vo. With a 4to. vol. of Plates. London, 1819. [book review]”, in The Literary Chronicle and Weekly Review; […], volume III, number 106, London: Printed by Davidson, […], published by [John] Limbird, […], sold also by Souter [et al.], →OCLC, page 327:

        During the whole of the reign of George I., the money was of the same species and value as that of Queen Anne, but to his style upon the reverse, were added his German titles, with Fidei Defensor [Defender of the Faith], which then, for the first time, appeared upon the coins, although it had been constantly used in the style of our monarchs from Henry VIII., on whom it was conferred by Pope Leo X., in the year 1521.

3. A particular manner of creating, doing, or presenting something, especially a work of architecture or art.

   • 1825, Joshua Reynolds, “Discourse IV. Delivered at the Royal Academy.”, in Discourses on Painting and the Fine Arts, Delivered at the Royal Academy, London: Printed for Jones and Co., […], →OCLC, page 23, column 1:

     [T]here are two distinct styles in history painting; the grand, and the splendid or ornamental. The great style stands alone, and does not require, perhaps does not so well admit, any addition from inferior beauties. The ornamental style also possesses its own peculiar merit. However, though the union of the two may make a sort of composite style, yet that style is likely to be more imperfect than either of those which goes to its composition.

   • 1843, Allan Cunningham, chapter XI, in The Life of Sir David Wilkie; […] In Three Volumes, volume II, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 472:

     To our English tastes it is unnecessary to advocate the style of [Diego] Velazquez. […] Sir Joshua [Reynolds], [George] Romney, and [Henry] Raeburn, whether from imitation or instinct, seem powerfully imbued with his style, and some of our own time, even to our landscape painters, seem to possess the same affinity.

   • 1863 April 4, “Italian Architecture and Its Various European Offshoots”, in George Godwin, editor, The Builder. An Illustrated Weekly Magazine for the Architect, Engineer, Archæologist, Constructor, & Art-lover, volume XXI, number 1052, London: Publishing office, York Street, Covent Garden, W.C. [printed by Cox and Wyman], →OCLC, page 239, column 1:

     This style was sometimes called Palladian from the fact of [Andrea] Palladio having fully developed and absorbed into his own system the styles of his great predecessors of the [Florentine] school, […]

   • 2004, Ethan Mordden, “Big Deals”, in The Happiest Corpse I’ve Ever Seen: The Last Twenty-Five Years of the Broadway Musical, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin’s Press, →ISBN, page 108:

     His style is slow-build rave-up soul; the music, not the lyrics, relates the message.

   1. A particular manner of acting or behaving; (specifically) one regarded as fashionable or skilful; flair, grace.

      As a dancer, he has a lot of style.

      Backstabbing people is not my style.

      • 2015, Zachary Brown, The Darkside War (The Icarus Corps; book 1), London; New York, N.Y.: Saga Press, →ISBN, pages 197–198:

        Running would feel better than hiding and waiting. It was not her style to hole up in the shadows.

   2. A particular way in which one grooms, adorns, dresses, or carries oneself; (specifically) a way thought to be attractive or fashionable.
   3. (computing) A visual or other modification to text or other elements of a document, such as boldface or italics.

      applying styles to text in a wordprocessor  Cascading Style Sheets

      • 2001, Dee L. Fabry; Sally A. Seier, “Speaking, Technology, Analysis, and Reading through Research”, in Opening Doors to Reading: Building School-to-work Skills, Englewood, Colo.: Teacher Ideas Press, Libraries Unlimited, →ISBN, page 64:

        In today’s assignment, you need to: […] Right justify your heading in 12 point Helvetica font and plain text style.

      • 2011, Janine Warner, “Cascading Style Sheets”, in Dreamweaver CS3 for Dummies, New York, N.Y.: John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN:

        The concept of creating styles has been around since long before the Web. Desktop publishing programs, such as Adobe InDesign, and even word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word, have long used styles to manage the formatting and editing of text on printed pages.

   4. (printing, publishing) A set of rules regarding the presentation of text (spelling, typography, the citation of references, etc.) and illustrations that is applied by a publisher to the works it produces.

      the house style of the journal

      • 1993, Evelyn Hunt Ogden, “Spending Money and Using the 20th Century to Your Advantage”, in Completing Your Doctoral Dissertation or Master’s Thesis in Two Semesters or Less, 2nd edition, Lanham, Md.; Toronto, Ont.: ScarecrowEducation, Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, published 2003, →ISBN, page 60:

        If you have to settle for an expert typist who has not completed recent dissertations for your school, buy two copies of the style manual, one for you and one for the typist.

      • 2012, Larry A. Pace, “Preface and Acknowledgments”, in Using Microsoft Word to Write Research Papers in APA Style, Anderson, S.C.: TwoPaces.com, →ISBN, page 5:

        There are many excellent style manuals, and every good writer should have one or more of these at hand, along with the appropriate formatting instructions for the particular standard beng followed. This book is a how-to survival manual for students, researchers, and family members who need to learn and use APA [American Psychological Association] style and who would like to use some of the tools provided by Microsoft Word.

Alternative forms[edit]

• stile (obsolete)
• stylee (music, slang)

Derived terms[edit]

[edit]

• stylus

Descendants[edit]

• → Finnish: staili
• → Scottish Gaelic: stoidhle
• → Iban: stail
• → Japanese: スタイル (sutairu)
• → Korean: 스타일 (seutail)
• → Malay: stail
• → Portuguese: style
• → Swahili: staili

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

• substance

Verb[edit]

style (third-person singular simple present styles, present participle styling, simple past and past participle styled)

1. (transitive) To design, fashion, make, or arrange in a certain way or form (style)
2. (transitive, formal) To call or give a name or title to.

   Synonyms: designate, dub, name; see also Thesaurus:denominate

   • 1623, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Elizabeth Qveene of England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. the Sixtie One Monarch of the English Crowne, […]”, in The Historie of Great Britaine vnder the Conqvests of the Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Iohn Beale, for George Hvmble, […], →OCLC, book 9, paragraph 37, page 1161, column 2:

     […] Douenald O-Neale, rowſed out of his lurking holes, in his miſſiue letters vnto the Pope, ſtyleth himſelfe King of Vlſter, and in right of inheritance, the vndoubted Heire of all Ireland.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, “Jones Arrives at Gloucester, and Goes to the Bell; the Character of that House, and of a Petty-fogger, which He there Meets with”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book VIII, page 200:

     This Fellow, I ſay, ſtiled himſelf a Lawyer, but was indeed a moſt vile Petty-fogger, without Senſe or Knowledge of any Kind; one of thoſe who may be termed Train-bearers to the Law; […]

   • 1776, “Of the Martyrs at Smyrna”, in [David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes], editor, Account of the Martyrs at Smyrna and Lyons, in the Second Century. With Explanatory Notes, Edinburgh: Printed by A. Murray and J. Cochran, →OCLC, pages 12–13:

     But when the proconſul perſiſted in requiring him to ſwear by the fortune of Cæſar, Polycarp ſaid, «Since thou oſtentatiouſly requireſt me to ſwear by what thou ſtyleſt the fortune of Cæſar, as if thou wert ignorant of what I am, hear me boldly ſpeak. I am a Chriſtian; and if thou wouldſt learn what is the doctrine of Chriſtianity, appoint a day, and hear.»

   • 1782 December, “Elements of the Theory and Practice of Physic and Surgery. By John Aitken, M.D. 2 vols. 8vo. 14s. in Boards. Cadell. [book review]”, in The Critical Review: Or, Annals of Literature (Series the Fifth), volume LIV, London: Printed for A. Hamilton, […], →OCLC, page 438:

     Dr. Aitken’s language is generally exact, though there is a quaintneſs, and an attempt at novelty, which is ſometimes diſagreeable. […] He ſtyles ‘recover a pleasing evidence of the operation of the medicines.’

   • 1811, [Jane Austen], chapter X, in Sense and Sensibility […], volume I, London: […] C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 106:

     Marianne’s preserver, as Margaret, with more elegance than precision, stiled Willoughby, called at the cottage early the next morning to make his personal inquiries.

   • 1821 April 14, “Annals of the Coinage of Britain and Its Dependencies, from the Earliest Period of Authentic History to the End of the Fiftieth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King George III. By the Rev. Rogers Ruding, […] The Second Edition, Corrected, Enlarged, and Continued to the Close of the Year 1818. 5 vols. 8vo. With a 4to. vol. of Plates. London, 1819. [book review]”, in The Literary Chronicle and Weekly Review; […], volume III, number 100, London: Printed by Davidson, […], published by [John] Limbird, […], sold also by Souter [et al.], →OCLC, page 246, column 3:

     Edward the Black Prince had the principality of Aquitain and Gascony conferred on him, with the privilege of coining monies. Under the authority of this grant, he struck various coins of gold and silver. On these coins he invariably styles himself, Primogenitus Regis Angliæ, et Princeps Aquitaniæ [First King of England, and Prince of Aquitaine].

3. (transitive, informal) To create for, or give to, someone a style, fashion, or image, particularly one which is regarded as attractive, tasteful, or trendy.
4. (intransitive, US, informal) To act in a way which seeks to show that one possesses style.

Conjugation[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• stile (obsolete)

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• style (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams[edit]

• lyest, tyles

French[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• stile (obsolete)

Etymology[edit]

From Middle French stile, from Old French estile, borrowed from Latin stilus.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /stil/

Noun[edit]

style m (plural styles)

1. style (manner of doing something)

   Synonyms: façon, manière

2. (botany) style (of a flower)
3. fashion, trend, style
4. (colloquial) style (personal comportment)
5. flair
6. (art) style; method characteristic of an artist; artistic manner or characteristic by which an artistic movement may be defined

   Synonym: genre

7. gnomon, style (needle of a sundial)
8. (dated, historical) stylus, style (implement for writing on tablets)

   Synonym: stylet

9. complement of jargon particular to a field; style (manner of writing specific to a field or discipline)
10. sort, type; category of things

    Synonyms: espèce, genre, sorte, type

Synonyms[edit]

• (needle of a sundial): aiguille (d’un cadran), gnomon

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

• → Czech: styl
• → Italian: stile
• → Polish: styl
• → Romanian: stil
• → Serbo-Croatian: stȉl
• → Turkish: stil

Further reading[edit]

• “style”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Middle English[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old English stiġel.

Noun[edit]

style

1. Alternative form of stile (“stile”)

Etymology 2[edit]

From Medieval Latin stylus.

Noun[edit]

style

1. Alternative form of stile (“style”)

Polish[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈstɨ.lɛ/
• Rhymes: -ɨlɛ
• Syllabification: sty‧le

Noun[edit]

style m inan

1. accusative plural of styl
2. vocative plural of styl

Portuguese[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Unadapted borrowing from English style. Doublet of estilo and esteio.

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

style (invariable)

1. (Brazil, colloquial) stylish

   Com este calçado você fica style!

   With this shoe you become stylish!

Noun[edit]

style m (plural styles)

1. (colloquial) style

   Synonym: estilo

Style and stile are two words that are pronounced in the same way but are spelled differently and have different meanings, which makes them homophones. We will examine the difference between the definitions of style and stile, where these two words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.

Style is a the particular or distinctive way in which something is created or expressed. Style may refer to the way someone dresses, the way someone creates a piece of art or the way someone accomplishes a task. When someone is referred to as having style, it usually means that the person exhibits good taste and sophistication. Style may be used as a noun or a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object. Related words are styles, styled, styling, stylist. The word style is derived from the Latin word stilus, meaning a writing instrument or a mode of expression.

A stile is a section of steps going over a fence or wall, allowing people to cross but not livestock or other animals. Stile may also be used to mean a vertical piece in a door frame or window sash. The word stile is derived from the Old English word stigel, meaning a climbing device.

Examples

Cate Blanchett, 48, shows off VERY funky style in armour-inspired leather jacket as she joins fellow age-defying beauties Jennifer Connelly, 46, and Julianne Moore, 56, at Louis Vuitton PFW show (The Daily Mail)

England can play with as much style as Manchester City, insists Blues’ Three Lions defender John Stones (The Mirror)

When you try to repair something around the house or in your barn, how often do you think of the old woman trying to get her pig over the stile? (The Press Herald)