[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/ballpoint/)

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# ballpoint

noun (a ballpoint, ballpoints); adjective (ballpoint)

«ballpoint» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A pen with a tiny metal ball at its tip that rolls and spreads ink as you write; also called a ballpoint pen. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/ballpoint/#m1)
2. (adjective) Of this kind of pen: «ballpoint ink». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/ballpoint/#m2)

### In the lessons

In school, pupils often move from pencils to ink pens; some schools prefer fountain or handwriting pens, others allow ballpoints. In the UK a ballpoint is often called a «biro», after its inventor László Bíró. Ballpoint ink cannot be rubbed out like pencil.

### Examples

- Can I borrow a blue ballpoint? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/ballpoint/#x1)
- The ballpoint pen ran out of ink in the middle of my test. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/ballpoint/#x2)
- Ballpoint ink dries quickly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/ballpoint/#x3)
- Write your answer in ballpoint, not pencil. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/ballpoint/#x4)
- The tiny ball in a ballpoint rolls as you write. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/ballpoint/#x5)
- My ballpoint leaked in my pencil case. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/ballpoint/#x6)

### Note

One word: ballpoint. UK informal word: biro; US: pen. Countable. A felt-tip and a fountain pen are different kinds.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «ballpoint» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/ballpoint/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ballpoint» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ballpoint.html) on Mova free.