pincel

paintbrush

noun peen-SEL Rare

Origin: From Latin penicillus (small brush/tail), also the root of 'penicillin'.

Usage Note

Pincel is the artist's fine-tipped paintbrush, as distinct from brocha (a broader, flatter brush used for walls or shaving). The plural is pinceles. A painter's stroke is pincelada, which is also used figuratively ('a stroke of description'). The final consonant is fully pronounced: peen-SEL.

Examples

"El artista limpió el pincel antes de cambiar de color."

Natural Translation

The artist cleaned the paintbrush before changing colour.

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