What does pencilling mean?
Pencilling is the present participle and gerund of pencil, meaning to write, draw, mark, or make corrections with a pencil. It appears naturally in descriptions of note-taking, sketching, annotating printed material, and working out ideas on paper: "She was pencilling comments in the margin," while "The students pencilled the outline before painting." In British and Canadian English, the activity is normally spelled pencilling with two l's; American English typically uses penciling with one l. The form is especially common in descriptions of writing notes or lightly marking a document, but it can refer to any purposeful use of a pencil, including shading a drawing or labelling a diagram. Because it closely follows the ordinary verb pencil, its meaning is transparent and largely neutral, though it often suggests an informal, provisional, erasable stage rather than finished writing. Knowing the regional spelling difference is useful in formal prose, transcription, and text that must follow a particular editorial standard.
verbTo write, draw, mark, or make corrections with a pencil. It is the present participle and gerund form of "pencil."
- To write, draw, mark, or make corrections using a pencil.
"She was pencilling notes in the margin of the article."
"The editor was pencilling suggested revisions throughout the manuscript."
"He pencilled a quick sketch of the building before attempting a more detailed drawing."
Two l's in British English, one in American English—and both trace their name to the small brush once used to draw.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of pencilling
The form "pencilling" was formed by adding the suffix "-ing" to "pencil." The word "pencil" entered English from Old French "pencil," ultimately from the Latin diminutive "penicillus," meaning a small brush used by painters. The modern English meaning developed from the use of such brushes for drawing and, later, for graphite writing implements.
Related word forms
How pencilling is actually used
This form often describes writing or marking that is provisional or easily erased. British and Canadian usage favors the double-l spelling "pencilling," whereas American usage normally spells it "penciling."
Easily confused with pencilling
Both forms have the same meaning, but British and Canadian English normally spell the present participle "pencilling" with two l's, while American English usually uses "penciling" with one l.