Showing results for spandex. Search instead for Yandex.

spandex

American

[span-deks] / ˈspæn dɛks /

noun

Chemistry.

a synthetic fiber composed of a long-chain polymer, used chiefly in the manufacture of garments to add elasticity.

spandex British

/ ˈspændɛks /

noun

a type of synthetic stretch fabric made from polyurethane fibre

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of spandex

First recorded in 1955–60; anagram of expands

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This purification of pregnancy has seen maternity fashions exploit the full potential of spandex, belts, and bows to annunciate rather than conceal the baby bump.

From Slate • Jul. 21, 2025

He and his staff responded by finding a local tailor and a second-hand sewing machine, and establishing a workshop right inside the rehab facility — using spandex instead of the usual material.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2025

Hollywood and the nation’s movie theaters are finding out what a lack of spandex, capes and other hallmarks of billion-dollar action means for the box office.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2024

You may even imagine the sweet, sweet fragrance of spandex, sweat and popcorn wafting in the air.

From New York Times • Apr. 1, 2024

In the second room was either Dana’s mother or Dana himself, wearing red spandex pants and a ratty wig.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023