What does sharpie mean?
A Sharpie is a felt-tip pen that writes with opaque ink and is used for labelling, drawing, or adding marks to paper, cardboard, and other surfaces. It is especially associated with quick, bold writing, although different markers of this type may have fine, broad, or chisel-shaped tips. The name originally belonged to a particular manufacturer and was capitalized accordingly, but it has become so widely recognized that speakers now commonly use it for similar marker pens generally, often with lowercase spelling. In ordinary use, “Sharpie” is more specific than “pen” but broader and less technical than “felt-tip pen” or “permanent marker.” It can also identify a particular object without implying that it belongs to the original brand. The word is especially familiar in schools, offices, art and craft activities, signage, and informal labelling.
nounA felt-tip pen that produces opaque ink, commonly used for labelling, drawing, and marking surfaces. The term was originally a proprietary name but is now widely used as a generic term for such markers.
- A felt-tip or permanent marker with a fine, broad, or chisel-shaped tip.
- Informally, any similar marker pen regardless of its precise design or ink.
"She wrote the sign's final letter with a black Sharpie."
"He drew a small arrow on the cardboard with a Sharpie."
"The museum removed an old Sharpie mark from the display case."
The plural refers to multiple marker pens and is common in both informal and ordinary descriptive writing.
"The workshop provided a box of coloured sharpies for the project."
What began as a single brand name became a common word for an entire category of marker pen.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sharpie come from?
The word descends from the trademark Sharpie, coined in the mid-20th century for a felt-tip marker. The name combines sharp with the familiar suffix -ie, although the precise motivation for the full form is not certain. It subsequently became widely used as a generic term for similar marker pens.
Related word forms
How sharpie is actually used
Capitalization traditionally reflects the word's proprietary origin, but lowercase use is now common as the name has become broadly genericized. The term usually denotes a relatively opaque, quick-drying marker rather than a pencil, paint pen, or permanent-style paint marker.
Easily confused with sharpie
A Sharpie is a general felt-tip marker, while a highlighter is designed to mark text with translucent, fluorescent ink.
A Sharpie writes with ink, whereas a sharpener is a device used to sharpen a pencil or similar object.