tinsel
English
Etymology
From Middle French estincelle (“spark”) (compare French étincelle), from Latin scintilla; compare scintillate, stencil.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈtɪn.səl/
- Rhymes: -ɪnsəl
Noun
tinsel (usually uncountable, plural tinsels)
- 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.
- 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe
- Who can discern the tinsel from the gold?
- 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess[1]:
- He stood transfixed before the unaccustomed view of London at night time, a vast panorama which reminded him […] of some wood engravings far off and magical, in a printshop in his childhood. They dated from the previous century and were coarsely printed on tinted paper, with tinsel outlining the design.
- 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe
- 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.
- Anything shining and gaudy; something superficially shining and showy, or having a false luster, and more pretty than valuable.
- William Cowper:
- O happy peasant! O unhappy bard! His the mere tinsel, hers the rich reward.
- William Cowper:
Translations
shining material used for ornamental purposes
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thin strips of a glittering, metallic material used as a decoration
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Adjective
tinsel (comparative more tinsel, superlative most tinsel)
- Glittering, later especially superficially so; gaudy, showy.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.1:
- Her garments all were wrought of beaten gold, / And all her steed with tinsell trappings shone […]
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.1:
Verb
tinsel (third-person singular simple present tinsels, present participle (UK) tinselling or (US) tinseling, simple past and past participle (UK) tinselled or (US) tinseled)
- (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
- Alexander Pope:
- (figuratively, transitive) To give a false sparkle to (something).
Derived terms
See also
References
- “tinsel”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Anagrams
Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/ɪnsəl
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with quotations
- English adjectives
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs