ballpoint

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 →
2. (adjective) Of this kind of pen: «ballpoint ink». tree →

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 →
• The ballpoint pen ran out of ink in the middle of my test. tree →
• Ballpoint ink dries quickly. tree →
• Write your answer in ballpoint, not pencil. tree →
• The tiny ball in a ballpoint rolls as you write. tree →
• My ballpoint leaked in my pencil case. tree →

Note

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