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Origin and history of tinsel

tinsel(n.)

mid-15c., kind of cloth made with interwoven gold or silver thread, from Anglo-French tencele, Old French estencele, estincelle "spark, spangle" (see stencil (n.)). "In 14-15th c. Fr., the s of es- had long been mute" [OED].

The meaning "very thin sheets or strips of shiny metallic substance (as tin) cut in strips or threads" is recorded from 1590s. Used especially for an inexpensive, sparkling effect, hence the figurative sense of "anything showy with little real worth, superficial glitter," attested by 1650s, suggested from 1590s.

Tinsey (1680s) was a popular corruption of it. Related: Tinselly; tinselry. Tinseltown for "Hollywood" is by 1972. As a verb, "adorn with tinsel," literal or figurative, from 1590s. Related: Tinseled; tinselled; tinseling; tinselling.

also from mid-15c.

Entries linking to tinsel

stencil(n.)

"thin plate or sheet into which a figure or pattern has been formed by cutting through," 1707 (in reference to the manufacture of playing cards), but not met again until 1848. The old theory is that it is probably from Middle English stencellen "decorate with bright colors," from French estenceler "cover with sparkles or stars, powder with color," from estencele "spark, spangle" (Modern French étincelle), from Vulgar Latin *stincilla, a metathesis of Latin scintilla "spark" (for which see scintilla).

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    Trends of tinsel

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

    More to explore

    honeymoon
    French has cognate lune de miel, but German version is flitterwochen (plural), from flitter "tinsel" + wochen "week."...
    bring
    Old English bringan "to bear, convey, take along in coming; bring forth, produce, present, offer" (past tense brohte, past participle broht), from Proto-Germanic *brangjanan (source also of Old Frisian branga "attest, declare, assure," Middle Dutch brenghen, Old High German bring
    weave
    Old English wefan "to weave, form by interlacing yarn," figuratively "devise, contrive, arrange" (class V strong verb; past tense wæf, past participle wefen), from Proto-Germanic *weban (source also of Old Norse vefa, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch, Dutch weven, Old High German
    coordinate
    1640s, "of the same order, belonging to the same rank or degree," from Medieval Latin coordinatus, past participle of coordinare "to set in order, arrange," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see com-) + ordinatio "arrangement," from ordo "row, rank, series, arrangeme
    decoration
    early 15c., decoracioun, "the covering of blemishes with cosmetics;" 1580s, "action of adorning with something becoming or ornamental," from Medieval Latin decorationem (nominative decoratio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin decorare "to decorate, adorn, embelli
    add
    late 14c., "to join or unite (something to something else)," from Latin addere "add to, join, attach, place upon," literal and figurative, from ad "to" (see ad-) + -dere, combining form meaning "to put, place," from dare "to give" (from PIE root *do- "to give"). The intransitive
    ornament
    c. 1200, ournement, "an accessory; something that serves primarily for use but also may serve as adornment; ornamental apparel, jewels," from Old French ornement "ornament, decoration," and directly from Latin ornamentum "apparatus, equipment, trappings; embellishment, decoration
    grace
    late 12c., "God's unmerited favor, love, or help," from Old French grace "pardon, divine grace, mercy; favor, thanks; elegance, virtue" (12c., Modern French grâce), from Latin gratia "favor, esteem, regard; pleasing quality, good will, gratitude" (source of Italian grazia, Spanis
    decorate
    1520s, "deck with something becoming or ornamental, adorn, beautify," from Latin decoratus, past participle of decorare "to decorate, adorn, embellish, beautify," from decus (genitive decoris) "an ornament; grace, dignity, honor," from PIE root *dek- "to take, accept." Earlier wa
    impart
    early 15c., "to give a part of (one's possessions);" late 15c., "to share, take part in," from Old French empartir, impartir "assign, allot, allocate, share out" (14c.), from Late Latin impartire (also impertire) "to share in, divide with another; communicate," from assimilated f

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    Dictionary entries near tinsel
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