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
Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2026
It’s made from a soft and stretchy polyester-spandex blend that not only ensures extra comfort, but also keeps you sweat-free in the summer sun.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026
These Iuga sweatpant jeans are made from a soft and stretchy spandex blend and available in seven versatile washes to coordinate with your capsule wardrobe.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 13 June 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for spandex
Cite this Entry
“Spandex.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spandex. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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spandex
noun
