tinsel

American  

[tin-suhl] / ˈtɪn səl /

noun

1. a glittering metallic substance, as copper or brass, in thin sheets, used in pieces, strips, threads, etc., to produce a sparkling effect cheaply.

2. a metallic yarn, usually wrapped around a core yarn of silk, rayon, or cotton, for weaving brocade or lamé.

3. anything showy or attractive with little or no real worth; showy pretense.

   The actress was tired of the fantasy and tinsel of her life.

4. Obsolete. a fabric, formerly in use, of silk or wool interwoven with threads of gold, silver, or, later, copper.

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adjective

1. consisting of or containing tinsel.

2. showy; gaudy; tawdry.

verb (used with object)

tinseled, tinseling, tinselled, tinselling

1. to adorn with tinsel.

2. to adorn with anything glittering.

3. to make showy or gaudy.

tinsel British  

/ ˈtɪnsəl /

noun

1. a decoration consisting of a piece of string with thin strips of metal foil attached along its length

2. a yarn or fabric interwoven with strands of glittering thread

3. anything cheap, showy, and gaudy

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verb

1. to decorate with or as if with tinsel

   snow tinsels the trees

2. to give a gaudy appearance to

adjective

1. made of or decorated with tinsel

2. showily but cheaply attractive; gaudy

Other Word Forms

• overtinsel
  verb (used with object)
• tinsel-like
  adjective
• tinsellike
  adjective
• tinselly
  adjective
• untinseled
  adjective
• untinselled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of tinsel

First recorded in 1495–1505; by shortening of Middle French estincelle ( Old French estincele ) “a spark, flash,” from Vulgar Latin stincilla, unrecorded variant of Latin scintilla; first used attributively in phrases tinsel satin, tinsel cloth; see scintilla

Explanation

The shiny silver strands hanging from the branches of a Christmas tree are called tinsel. Tinsel is older than you might think—it was invented in 1610! Tinsel was designed to mimic the way ice looks, and the earliest tinsel was made from strips of real silver (today's tinsel is PVC plastic with a metallic coating). It's a traditional Christmas decoration that is also frequently used in India for wedding celebrations and other ceremonies. You can also use the word tinsel to refer to things that look fancy but are actually worthless—which is where Hollywood's nickname, Tinseltown, comes from.

Example Sentences

Just 30 minutes later, his key worker Cookson put him down again for a second sleep in the afternoon, placing him inside a small teepee that was decorated in tinsel for Christmas.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

“Let’s pack our bags, grab some tinsel and emotionally prepare for a hearty serving of family dysfunction,” the streamer said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

“For that, we added lots of swallow-tailed ribbons for an extra pop of color … underneath all the tinsel which is Zooey’s absolute favorite!” he added.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 30, 2025

While this month is mid-summer for half the world, Australia is in the depths of winter and for many, that means it's time for tinsel, turkey and Yuletide tunes.

From BBC • Jul. 30, 2025

Besides all the baubles and tinsel, there were special decorations to make.

From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen

Related Words

• classy
• conspicuous
• extravagant
• flamboyant
• garish
• gaudy
• glittery
• jaunty
• splashy
• swank