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 ponte fabric—a blend of rayon, nylon, and spandex—is designed to resist wrinkling and pilling. —Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025

Constructed of a cozy blend of acrylic, polyester, cotton, viscose, and spandex, the top is warm but not stifling. —Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025

These three fabrics are overwhelmingly preferred over manmade fibers including polyester (7 percent), spandex (5 percent) and rayon (4 percent). —Catherine Salfino, Sourcing Journal, 7 Oct. 2025

The Stride Flex Tank features a scoop neckline and racerback straps and is created in a moisture wicking and odor-resistant blend of 66 percent polyester, 30 percent lyocell and 4 percent spandex. —Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 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