Tinsel - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Tinsel is a shiny, decorative material made of thin strips of foil or plastic, often used to add sparkle to Christmas trees and holiday decorations. It reflects light and creates a festive appearance.
Definition:
Thin, shiny strips of metal or plastic used for decoration, especially at Christmas.
Synonyms:
glitter, garland, decoration, spangle
Part of Speech:
noun, verb
Antonyms:
plainness, simplicity
Common Collocations:
Christmas tinsel, hang tinsel, drape tinsel, sparkly tinsel
Derivatives:
tinselled (British), tinseled (American), tinselly
Usage Tips:
Use 'tinsel' to describe festive decorations; avoid overusing it in non-holiday contexts.
Common Phrases:
"all that glitters is not gold, " "tinsel town" (Hollywood)
Etymology:
From Old French *estincele* ("spark"), influenced by Latin *scintilla* ("spark").
Examples:
- 1. The tree sparkled with silver tinsel.
- 2. She draped tinsel over the fireplace for a festive touch.
- 3. Too much tinsel can make the room look cluttered.
- 4. He carefully removed the tangled tinsel after the holidays.