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

Swedish singer and entertainer Matilda Lindell is celebrating her 18th year on stage in spandex, sequins and flowing fringe. — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026

The hygiene spandex production capacity is expected to be 3,000 tons each year. — Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 10 Aug. 2026

And in June, when Andy Burnham triumphed in a by-election on his way to becoming prime minister just a month later, he was flanked in victory by a 6-foot furry fox and a man in superhero spandex. — Mark Rice-Oxley, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026

Made primarily of nylon with a touch of spandex, these pants are lightweight enough for warm weather yet provide warmth in windy or chilly conditions. — Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 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