spandex
noun
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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
Joe Jackson, Outside Online, 9 Jan. 2025
It’s made from a cozy blend of polyester and spandex that provides plenty of breathable warmth when temperatures dip.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2025
The head-to-toe beige spandex look is done and gone.
—Katy Kelleher, refinery29.com, 5 Dec. 2024
The set is buttery soft with a durable blend of viscose from bamboo and spandex for stretch.
—Madison Yauger, People.com, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for spandex 
Dictionary Entries Near spandex
Cite this Entry
“Spandex.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spandex. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
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spandex
noun
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