spangle

American  

[spang-guhl] / ˈspæŋ gəl /

noun

spangles plural

1. a small, thin, often circular piece of glittering metal or other material, used especially for decorating garments.

2. any small, bright drop, object, spot, or the like.

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verb (used with object)

spangled, spangling

1. to decorate with spangles.

2. to sprinkle or stud with small, bright pieces, objects, spots, etc.

verb (used without object)

spangled, spangling

1. to glitter with or like spangles.

spangle British  

/ ˈspæŋɡəl /

noun

1. a small thin piece of metal or other shiny material used as a decoration, esp on clothes; sequin

2. any glittering or shiny spot or object

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verb

1. (intr) to glitter or shine with or like spangles

2. (tr) to decorate or cover with spangles

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• spangly
  adjective
• unspangled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• spangles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of spangle

First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English noun spangel(e), equivalent to spange “spangle” (perhaps from Middle Dutch spange, spaenge “brooch, clasp,” or from Old Norse spǫng “clasp, buckle, spangle”) + -le -le ( def. )

Explanation

Do you like your outfits to have flair? A little sparkle? Then you're probably a fan of spangles, or small, shiny decorative things like sequins. Vegas showgirls and beauty queens know all about spangle. Their outfits are usually covered in the sequins, crystals, golden beads and sparkly frills that are all considered kinds of spangles. And if you want to use spangle as a verb, go right ahead — as in, "all that glitter certainly makes those showgirls spangle up on stage."

Example Sentences

Hampson was a high school senior in Spangle, Washington, when Nixon made the seven-day trip to China in 1972, the first visit by an American president following the 1949 communist revolution.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 27, 2023

Spangle retired from Interior in March 2018, and began to tell his story publicly.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2022

The field supervisor for Fish and Wildlife overseeing the project, Steve Spangle, was consistently backed by his colleagues there and by superiors at Interior.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2022

“If you’re researching a murder or some kind of tragic accident or anything late in the 19th century or early in the 20th century, they give every little detail no matter how gruesome,” Spangle said.

From Washington Times • Aug. 9, 2016

Mister Jim Crow was sitting on a fence82 stake listening to Mister Bob-o-link who was singing his Spingle, Spangle song, when he saw six robins dart into Robert Robin’s basswood tree.

From Exciting Adventures of Mister Robert Robin by Field, Ben