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

The shirt uses a 90 percent polyester, 10 percent spandex blend that is exceptionally soft against the skin. —Joe Jackson, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026

But Moore, who was there to present, upped the ante and made this outfit herself, taking a pair of spandex shorts, a corset, and floral-print fabric to make one legendary outfit. —Katherine J Igoe, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026

Made from a blend of cotton, Tencel, and spandex, the Quince Bella Stretch Barrel Jeans deliver softness, breathability, and flexibility in one streamlined design. —Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 13 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

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