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 end
2 : something resembling a tassel; especially : the terminal male inflorescence of some plants and especially Indian corn

[tassel illustration]