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
Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2024
Made of lightweight nylon spandex, this suit is soft but durable and fully lined.
—Jessica Booth, Parents, 2 June 2024
Reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe’s most infamous look, this plus-size dress is extremely flattering, thanks to a super stretchy blend of polyester and spandex materials that hugs your body in all the right places.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 31 May 2024
During a roundtable for The Hollywood Reporter, Larson spoke about her efforts to reach out to Marvel newcomers on the verge of donning spandex.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for spandex 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spandex.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Spandex.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spandex. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.
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spandex
noun
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