noun

tinsel

TIHNSL

Tinsel (noun) means Thin, shiny strips of metallic material used as festive decoration, especially draped over Christmas trees. Example: “They wrapped tinsel around the banister for the party.”

noun

Thin, shiny strips of metallic material used as festive decoration, especially draped over Christmas trees.

"They wrapped tinsel around the banister for the party."

"The kids loved throwing tinsel over the tree branches."

Something that looks impressive or valuable on the surface but is actually cheap or worthless.

"Beneath the tinsel of celebrity, it's a lonely job."

adj

Superficially attractive but of little real value; showy.

"The film had a tinsel glamour that hid a weak story."

How to use tinsel

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishShiny decorative strips, or, figuratively, flashy but hollow appeal.

Common mistake

The figurative sense ("tinsel town," "tinsel glamour") always carries a slightly negative, "all show, no substance" tone.

Common pairings

strands of tinsel tinsel and glitter tinsel town

Word forms

tinseled past tense, tinselled past tense, tinselled past tense, tinsels plural, tinsels singular, tinsels singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

They wrapped _____ around the banister for the party.

Etymology

Traces back through Old French to Latin scintilla, "a spark" — the same root that gives us "scintillate" and "stencil."

Origin: Latin

Frequently asked questions

What does “tinsel” mean?

The word “tinsel” means thin, shiny strips of metallic material used as festive decoration, especially draped over Christmas trees. In plain terms, shiny decorative strips, or, figuratively, flashy but hollow appeal.

How do you pronounce “tinsel”?

“Tinsel” is pronounced TIHNSL (/ˈtɪnsəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “tinsel” in a sentence?

Here is “tinsel” used in a sentence: “They wrapped tinsel around the banister for the party.”

What part of speech is “tinsel”?

Depending on how it is used, “tinsel” can be a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “tinsel” come from?

The word “tinsel” comes from Latin. Traces back through Old French to Latin scintilla, "a spark" — the same root that gives us "scintillate" and "stencil.".

How many meanings does “tinsel” have?

“Tinsel” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: thin, shiny strips of metallic material used as festive decoration, especially draped over Christmas trees.