Tuesday word: Tinsel

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December 8, 2020

Tinsel (noun, adjective, verb)
tin·sel [tin-suhl]

noun
1. a glittering metallic substance, as copper or brass, in thin sheets, used in pieces, strips, threads, etc., to produce a sparkling effect cheaply.
2. a metallic yarn, usually wrapped around a core yarn of silk, rayon, or cotton, for weaving brocade or lamé.
3. anything showy or attractive with little or no real worth; showy pretense: The actress was tired of the fantasy and tinsel of her life.
4. Obsolete. a fabric, formerly in use, of silk or wool interwoven with threads of gold, silver, or, later, copper.

adjective
5. consisting of or containing tinsel.
6. showy; gaudy; tawdry.

verb (used with object)
7. to adorn with tinsel.
8. to adorn with anything glittering.
9. to make showy or gaudy.

OTHER WORDS FROM TINSEL
tin·sel·like, adjective
o·ver·tin·sel, verb (used with object), o·ver·tin·seled, o·ver·tin·sel·ing or (especially British) o·ver·tin·selled, o·ver·tin·sel·ling.
un·tin·seled, adjective
un·tin·selled, adjective

WORDS RELATED TO TINSEL
gaudy, swank, splashy, flamboyant, extravagant, classy, garish, jaunty, conspicuous, glittery, ostentatious, ornate, pretentious, sensational, tacky, sleazy, vulgar, golden, painted, sparkling

SYNONYMS FOR TINSEL
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com

Origin: 1495–1505; by aphesis < Middle French estincelle ( Old French estincele ) a spark, flash < Vulgar Latin *stincilla, metathetic variant of Latin scintilla scintilla; first used attributively in phrases tinsel satin, tinsel cloth

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