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

See Examples For:

spangle spangles spangled spangling

It fits down to the last spangle on the jumpsuit of every self-respecting wannabe Elvis.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2023

It was always the cat eye in high-wattage spangle.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 22, 2023

Saturn has more than 60 moons, but a handful of them do more than spangle the planet’s skies.

From New York Times ● Mar. 28, 2019

The cartoonlike “action” lines that animate the cat direct your eye toward a spangle of geometric shapes the passer-by has scattered to the ground to stir up some feline hunting instinct.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 14, 2017

I could not have escaped hunting if I had wanted to, for open seasons spangle the autumn.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Many were wearing their own sequins and spangles, sparkling spectacles, top hats, feather boas, and in a few cases, Donald Duck suits, representing stages of John’s 55-year career.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 21, 2022

But spangles weren’t just for the femmes this year!

From Slate ● Jan. 7, 2019

There’s a young man who sees her soul beneath the spangles, and who exudes the glowing naïveté of an American innocent newly arrived in Sodom.

From New York Times ● Aug. 5, 2018

I loved his mad energy and repeat the response I made at the time: quibbling about it is like objecting to the mis-aligned spangles on the costume of a someone who is juggling double-decker buses.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 21, 2017

I’m fully dressed in my red habit again, having shed the spangles, scraped off the lipstick with toilet paper.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

Joining her were six-piece girl group Katseye, playing their love-it-or-hate-it viral hit Gnarly; and New York indie artist Sombr, sporting a spangled jumpsuit for his rendition of 12 to 12.

From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026

A board was spangled with Polaroids of its members, who numbered more than two dozen as of October.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2024

From the 1930s to the 1950s, the group blazed a spangled, sparkling path that plenty of country acts would later follow.

From New York Times ● Oct. 20, 2023

Living across the street from the forested ravine where Interstate 66 was eventually built, I could marvel at a night sky spangled with stars whenever I wanted to.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 1, 2022

The first firework illuminated the sky, leaving a waterfall of spangled light.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

In addition to spangling the garden with colorful blooms beginning in late winter, native annuals are an ecological powerhouse.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 30, 2023

Finely cut leaves of Japanese maples dangled spangling drops.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 28, 2023

The occasional onscreen spangling of the images with onomatopoeias and impact-sparks provides reminders of Spider-Man’s vintage hand-drawn comic-book origins.

From The New Yorker ● Dec. 29, 2018

The Maromandia Damba is a beautiful vertically barred fish with vivid red spangling on the flank.

From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2011

Staring up through the ragged branches of the acacia to the stars, spangling the dark sky, he could see only the kindly face of Rekh the goldsmith rising before him in reproach.

From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw