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

Most swimwear is manufactured with synthetic elastane fibers (commonly referred to as spandex or by the brand name Lycra). —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 June 2026

With the dominance of looser silhouettes, spandex manufacturer Hyosung has seen demand for low-power stretch between 12 and 20 percent, which offers some elasticity while looking more like vintage denim. —Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 12 June 2026

Best shapewear for summer This nylon-spandex shaping camisole can be worn under clothing or on its own. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026

This one caught my eye right away — and not just because it's made with a buttery blend of Tencel and spandex. —Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 11 June 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