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

They’re made from a soft, stretchy blend of cottons and 2% spandex, offering both comfort and a flattering fit. —Malia Griggs, Glamour, 9 May 2025

Elastane and spandex are materials added to some T-shirts to provide stretch. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025

The bra itself is made of a mostly nylon blend that also features 6% spandex to add extra give. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2025

Made from a blend of polyester and spandex, it’s treated with a unique technology that helps to regulate body temperatures while on the move. —Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

anagram of expands

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

spandex

noun

span·​dex ˈspan-ˌdeks 

: any of various synthetic elastic textile fibers