Stip

Stip is a Dutch noun meaning a small mark, dot, or speck. In everyday language it describes a tiny point on a surface, a tiny mark on a diagram, or a small spot on an object. In maps and diagrams, a stip can indicate a point of interest, a location, or a data point. In printing and design contexts, stip refers to small round marks used for punctuation, alignment, or decorative purposes.

The term is part of common Dutch usage and appears in phrases such as een stip op de kaart zetten, meaning to put something on the map or to bring attention to a place. In visual arts, stippling is a related technique that uses numerous small dots to create shading or texture, and the concept of a stip is often discussed in that context as well.

Etymology and usage history place stip firmly within Dutch linguistic tradition, with its meaning tied to the physical idea of a point or mark. While primarily a everyday and technical term in Dutch, the concept of marking points or dots has parallel expressions in many languages, and stip-like ideas appear in graphic, cartographic, and typographic practices globally.

See also: stippling, dot, mark, point of interest.