tinsel

English

Etymology

French étincelle (“spark”), from Old French estincelle, from Latin scintilla; compare scintillate, stencil.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA: /ˈtɪn.səl/
• Rhymes: -ɪnsəl

Noun

tinsel (uncountable)

1. A shining material used for ornamental purposes; especially, a very thin, gauzelike cloth with much gold or silver woven into it; also, very thin metal overlaid with a thin coating of gold or silver, brass foil, or the like.
   • John Dryden:

     Who can discern the tinsel from the gold?

2. Very thin strips of a glittering, metallic material used as a decoration, and traditionally, draped at Christmas time over streamers, paper chains and the branches of Christmas trees.
3. Anything shining and gaudy; something superficially shining and showy, or having a false luster, and more gay than valuable.
   • William Cowper:

     O happy peasant! O unhappy bard! His the mere tinsel, hers the rich reward.

Translations

thin strips of a glittering

Armenian: please add this translation if you can Chechen: please add this translation if you can French: please add this translation if you can Georgian: please add this translation if you can German: Lametta (de) n.

Polish: please add this translation if you can Romanian: please add this translation if you can Russian: мишура (ru) (mišurá) f. Spanish: please add this translation if you can Turkish: please add this translation if you can

No. 1 refers to tinsel as a 'gauzelike cloth...' metalic woven into it. This material is called "Angel Hair,' & is rarely sold, because of slivers of glass that produce the metalic effect. Tinsel is also called 'icecicles,'that are hung as such, on individual tree limbs. Neither does the term refer to 'garlands,'that are long & are hung losely, surrounding the tree.

Adjective

tinsel (comparative more tinsel, superlative most tinsel)

1. Showy to excess; gaudy; specious; superficial.
   • John Milton:

     Tinsel trappings.

Verb

tinsel (third-person singular simple present tinsels, present participle tinselling (UK) or tinseling (US), simple past and past participle tinselled (UK) or tinseled (US))

1. (transitive) To adorn with tinsel; to deck out with cheap but showy ornaments; to make gaudy.
   • Alexander Pope:

     She, tinseled o'er in robes of varying hues.

2. (figuratively, transitive) To give a false sparkle to (something).

Derived terms

• tinseled, tinselled
• tinselly
• Tinseltown

See also

• trimmings
• trim up

References

• tinsel in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

• enlist
• inlets
• leints
• listen
• silent