penholder

plural penholders

1. A handle into which a nib or other penpoint is fitted to form a pen.

   He was amazing, and had a penholder behind his ear.

   1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 207

   1 more example

   The Browns gave the Obamas an ornate penholder made from the timber of a Victorian antislave ship.

   2009 April 3, Helene Cooper, “Obama’s Star Turn at Summit Gets Mixed Results”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 26 Feb 2022

   Synonyms: penstick

2. A device for storing pens while they are not being used.
3. diplomacyA member of the United Nations Security Council with responsibility for a specified issue.

   Widespread reports of ethnically targeted killings in recent days prompted the UK, as the UN penholder on Sudan, to call an emergency session of the security council in New York on Thursday.

   2025 October 30, Patrick Wintour, “UN leaders condemn ‘horrifying’ mass killings in Sudan”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 12 Nov 2025

4. alternativeAlternative form of penhold.