stencil n.

1690s, "a spark, a glimmer," hence "least particle, trace," from figurative use of Latin scintilla "particle of fire, spark, glittering speck, atom," which traditionally is traced to PIE root *skai- "to shine, to gleam" (source also of Gothic skeinan, Old English scinan "to shine;" see shine (v.)), but there are phonetic objections.

mid-15c., "a kind of cloth made with interwoven gold or silver thread," from Anglo-French tencele, Old French estencele, estincelle "spark, spangle" (see stencil (n.)). "In 14-15th c. Fr., the s of es- had long been mute" [OED]. Meaning "very thin sheets or strips of shiny metal" is recorded from 1590s. Figurative sense of "anything showy with little real worth" is from 1650s, suggested from at least 1590s. Use of Tinseltown for "Hollywood" is by 1972.