spandex

noun

span·​dex ˈspan-ˌdeks 

: any of various elastic textile fibers made chiefly of polyurethane

also : clothing made of this material

Did you know?

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Other elevated styles that aren’t silk include the Cider Mesh Ruffle Cocktail Dress—made with stretchy spandex and mesh—or the Btfbm Ruffle Mermaid Cocktail Dress with sleeves for temperamental spring weather. —Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026

Made with a spandex blend and thick waistband, this trouser-like style offers a subtle shaping and smoothing effect. —Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026

Made of 80 percent polyester and 20 percent spandex, the lightweight pants are stretchy and breathable—two descriptors that don’t often align to work trousers. —Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026

They’re made with durable, breathable, and stretchy fabric (often a smart blend of recycled nylon and spandex or elastane). —Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

anagram of expands

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

spandex

noun

span·​dex ˈspan-ˌdeks 

: any of various synthetic elastic textile fibers