spandex
noun
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Spandex is a fiber that has had an impact on fashion high and low, casual and formal, outer and under. It's not a trademark, as a number of the names of other fibers are, among them Dacron, Lycra, and Orlon. It's a generic term, coined in 1959 as an anagram of the word expands. Anagrammatic coinages are not common; the only other in our dictionaries that the average person is likely to be familiar with is sideburns. Sideburns is an anagram (and synonym) of burnsides, from Ambrose E. Burnside, a Union general in the American Civil War credited with originating the fashion (in the U.S., at least) also known as side-whiskers.
Examples of spandex in a Sentence
Angel Saunders, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024
The pants are made with a blend of spandex and polyester fabric that feels soft and stretchy, along with a warm wool lining on the interior.
—Gabriella Maestri, Travel + Leisure, 20 Nov. 2024
Some of their bestsellers this winter include its core designs in nylon and spandex, like the Gabriella top and bottom, the Blake Micro Bike Shorts, the Bella Twist-Front One-Piece in crinkle fabric, and the Gigi top and bottom in shimmer fabric.
—Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Maidenform Open Bust Body Shaper $68 $28 at Amazon
This bodysuit is made of soft nylon and spandex that doesn’t lose its shape — even after washing.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spandex 
Dictionary Entries Near spandex
Cite this Entry
“Spandex.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spandex. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
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spandex
noun
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