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.

---

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

---

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

• 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

Emily Ratajkowski, Paloma Elsesser, and Irina Shayk, who closed out the show in a Tinsel Raffia coat, were among the models showing off the collection’s 34 designs.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024

Tinsel has been wound through a shrub directly outside the house.

From BBC • Jul. 28, 2023

Narrating the sequence, the director Tommy Wirkola discusses putting Harbour through training for the demanding choreography, as well as using a stunt performer who is also an actor to play Tinsel.

From New York Times • Dec. 2, 2022

The crew has been chasing inventory as historic firms close, such as the museum-like Tender Buttons, or ones that leave New York, such as the 90-year-old Tinsel Trading Co., which relocated to Berkeley.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2022

Tinsel will rust in the storms of life.

From The American Union Speaker by Philbrick, John D. (John Dudley)

Related Words

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