Intensional Definition

A ballpoint pen, also known as a biro, ball pen, is a pen that dispenses ink over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point". The metal commonly used is steel, brass, or tungsten carbide. It was conceived and developed as a cleaner and more reliable alternative to quill and fountain pens, and it is now the world's most-used writing instrument millions are manufactured and sold daily. As a result, it has influenced art and graphic design and spawned an artwork genre.

Pen manufacturers produce designer ballpoint pens for the high-end and collectors' markets.

The Bic Cristal is a popular disposable type of ballpoint pen whose design is recognised by its place in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.