Main Entry:

¹tas·sel

Pronunciation:

\ˈta-səl, oftenest of corn ˈtä-, ˈtȯ-\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, clasp, tassel, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *tassellus, alteration of Latin taxillus small die; akin to Latin talus anklebone, die

Date:

14th century

1: a dangling ornament made by laying parallel a bunch of cords or threads of even length and fastening them at one end2: something resembling a tassel ; especially : the terminal male inflorescence of some plants and especially Indian corn

[tassel illustration]