Tinsel
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /ˈtɪn.səl/
- Rhymes: -ɪnsəl
Origin
French étincelle (“sparkâ€), from Old French estincelle, from Latin scintilla; compare scintillate, stencil.
Full definition of tinsel
Noun
tinsel
(uncountable)- A shining material used for ornamental purposes; especially, a very thin, gauzelike cloth with much gold or silver woven into it; also, very thin metal overlaid with a thin coating of gold or silver, brass foil, or the like.
- John Dryden:Who can discern the tinsel from the gold?
- 1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter Foreword, He stood transfixed before the unaccustomed view of London at night time, a vast panorama which reminded him … of some wood engravings far off and magical, in a printshop in his childhood. They dated from the previous century and were coarsely printed on tinted paper, with tinsel outlining the design.
- Very thin strips of a glittering, metallic material used as a decoration, and traditionally, draped at Christmas time over streamers, paper chains and the branches of Christmas trees.
- Anything shining and gaudy; something superficially shining and showy, or having a false luster, and more gay than valuable.
- William Cowper:O happy peasant! O unhappy bard! His the mere tinsel, hers the rich reward.
Adjective
tinsel
- Glittering, later especially superficially so; gaudy, showy.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.1:Her garments all were wrought of beaten gold,
And all her steed with tinsell trappings shone ....
Verb
- (transitive) To adorn with tinsel; to deck out with cheap but showy ornaments; to make gaudy.
- Alexander Pope:She, tinseled o'er in robes of varying hues.
- (figuratively, transitive) To give a false sparkle to (something).