WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Sty"lus
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [L. stylus, or better stilus.]
Definition : Defn: An instrument for writing. See Style, n., 1. That needle-shaped part at the tip of the playing arm of phonograph which sits in the groove of a phonograph record while it is turning, to detect the undulations in the phonograph groove and convert them into vibrations which are transmitted to a system (since 1920 electronic) which converts the signal into sound; also called needle. The stylus is frequently composed of metal or diamond. 3. The needle-like device used to cut the grooves which record the sound on the original disc during recording of a phonograph record. 4. (Computers)

Defn: A pen-shaped pointing device used to specify the cursor position on a graphics tablet.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913