Definition of 'style'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present
tense styles
, present participle styling
, past tense, past participle styled
1. countable noun [oft in adj N]
The style of something is the general way in which it is done or presented, which often shows
the
attitudes of the people involved.
2. uncountable noun [oft in NOUN]
3. variable noun
The style of a product is its design.
4. countable noun
In the arts, a particular style is characteristic of a particular period or group of people.
5. verb [usually passive]
If something such as a piece of clothing, a vehicle, or someone's hair is styled in a particular way, it is designed or shaped in that way.
6. See also
old-style,
self-styled,
styling
7.
See
not sb's style
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
1. combining form [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
-style
combines with
nouns and
adjectives to form adjectives which
describe the style or characteristics of something.
2. combining form [ADVERB after verb]
-style combines with adjectives and nouns to form
adverbs which describe how something is done.
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
style
Word Frequency
style in British English
noun
2.
the way in which something is done
good or bad style
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
the particular mode of
orthography,
punctuation, design, etc,
followed in a book,
journal, etc, or in a
printing or
publishing house
13. another word for
stylus (sense 1)
verb (mainly tr)
17.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
stylar (ˈstylar) adjective
styler (ˈstyler)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Latin stylus, stilus writing implement, hence characteristics of the writing, style
Word Frequency
style in American English
noun
3.
a.
manner or mode of expression in language, as
distinct from the ideas expressed; way of using words to express thoughts
b.
specific or characteristic manner of expression,
execution,
construction, or design, in any art, period, work,
employment, etc.
the Byzantine style, modern style
4.
an author who lacks style
5.
the way in which anything is made or done
6.
a.
the current, fashionable way of
dressing, speaking, acting, etc.
7.
distinction and elegance of manner and bearing
8.
form of address; title
entitled to the style of Mayor
9.
sort; kind; variety; type
verb transitiveWord forms: styled or ˈstyling
12.
to name; call
Abraham Lincoln, styled the Great Emancipator
13. US
to design the style of
14.
to treat (hair) by
cutting,
blow-drying, coloring, etc. in order to
achieve a
desired, usually fashionable, style
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈfashion
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
styleless (ˈstyleless)
adjective
styler (ˈstyler)
noun
Word origin
ME < L stilus (sp. infl. by unrelated Gr stylos, pillar) < IE base *(s)tei-, pointed > L stimulusExamples of 'style' in a sentence
style
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.
Read more…
Word lists with
style
terms used in botany,
parts of plantsQuick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
Which part of a plant am I?
a carpel or pistil enclosing the seeds of a plant, esp a flowering plant
Which part of a plant am I?
a mature fertilized plant ovule, consisting of an embryo and its food store surrounded by a protective seed coat (testa)
Which part of a plant am I?
any of the separate parts of the calyx of a flower
Which part of a plant am I?
an elongation of the receptacle of a flower between the calyx and corolla
Which part of a plant am I?
the part of a plant that consists of the flower-bearing stalks
Your score:
More idioms containing
style
Trends of
style
View usage for:
In other languages
style
British English: style
/staɪl/ NOUN
The style of something is the general way it is done or presented.
His writing style is clear and straightforward.
- American English: style
- Arabic: أُسْلُوب
- Brazilian Portuguese: estilo
- Chinese: 风格
- Croatian: izravan
- Czech: styl
- Danish: stil
- Dutch: stijl
- European Spanish: estilo
- Finnish: tyyli
- French: style
- German: Stil
- Greek: στυλ
- Italian: stile
- Japanese: スタイル
- Korean: 스타일
- Norwegian: stil
- Polish: styl
- European Portuguese: estilo
- Romanian: stil
- Russian: стиль
- Latin American Spanish: estilo
- Swedish: stil
- Thai: รูปแบบ
- Turkish: stil
- Ukrainian: стиль
- Vietnamese: kiểu
British English: style VERB
If something such as a piece of clothing, a vehicle, or someone's hair is styled in a particular way, it is designed or shaped in that way.
His thick blond hair had just been styled before his trip.
Nearby words of
style
Related terms of
style
Source
Definition of style from the
Collins English Dictionary
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
sail or sale?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
sail
sale
The white billows in the breeze.
written or wrote?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
wrote
written
Jung Lu me a poem once.
berth or birth?
Which version is correct?
fair or fare?
Which version is correct?
hoard or horde?
Which version is correct?
Your score:
Word of the day
white hat
a computer hacker who is hired by an organization to undertake nonmalicious hacking work in order to discover computer-security flaws
'Hepatomegaly' and 'hydronephrosis' are among the most frequently looked-up words in September
You can get a certain insight into human nature from analysing the words that people look up in dictionaries. There are some words that seem to be of perennial interest, so if you compare the list of words that were looked up most often in March with the words that were looked up most often in September, you will find a lot of words appearing on both lists.
Read more
World Space Week
Today, 9 October, is the penultimate day of this year’s World Space Week, a UN event launched in 1999. Space Week falls at this calendar juncture because this first October week is bookended by two key dates.
Read more
From moonshoot to balconing: discover the latest words added to the Collins Dictionary
The online version of the Collins Dictionary has just been updated again, with another batch of new words and meanings inspired by the events of the summer.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Join the Collins community
All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month.
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
groan or grown?
Which version is correct?
bloc or block?
Which version is correct?
cornflour or cornflower?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
cornflour
cornflower
Blend the with a little milk.
paw or pour?
Which version is correct?
broke or broken?
Which version is correct?
Your score: