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 Nike Dri-FIT fabric, a polyester/spandex blend that wicks sweat, is nicely stretchy and super soft. —Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 14 Dec. 2024

Synthetic fibers — such as polyester, nylon, spandex and acrylic — account for about two-thirds of textile products today. —Fairchild Studio, WWD, 10 Dec. 2024

They're made of a uniquely soft, silky polyester/modal/spandex blend, which is satin-like and cooling in feel. —Malia Griggs, Glamour, 2 Dec. 2024

The legging is made of 80% nylon and 20% spandex fabric, which is buttery soft, stretchy, non-see-through and ultra-light. —Nora Colomer, Fox News, 26 Nov. 2024

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