I. ˈtin(t)səl sometimes -nzəl adjective
Etymology: earlier tinselle, from Middle French etincellé, estencellé, past participle of etinceller, estenceler to ornament with sparkling colors, to sparkle, from etincelle, estencele spark
1.
a. : interwoven with or overlaid with gold, silver, or metallic thread
b. : made of or covered with tinsel
2. : cheaply glittering or gaudy : showily pretentious : specious , tawdry
wanders through its massive moldering architecture and tinsel gaieties — Cecil Sprigge
surrounded by the tinsel splendor of his parties — J.W.Aldridge
a world … with shoddy emotions and tinsel values — Max Lerner
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French etincelle, estincelle, estencele spark, glitter, spangle — more at stencil
1.
a. : a silk or silk and wool fabric formerly interwoven or overlaid with glittering metallic threads or strips usually of gold, silver, or copper
b. : lamé
2.
a. : a thread, strip, or sheet of metal, paper, or plastic used to produce a glittering and sparkling appearance in fabrics, yarns, Christmas decorations, or advertising materials
b. : a yarn of various fibers covered or combined with a thread of tinsel and used for knitting, weaving, or embroidering
3. : something superficially showy, attractive, or glamorous that actually has little real worth
those austere spirits who … had scorned the fumes and tinsel of the loud world — L.P.Smith
the tinsel and power of high office did not appeal — J.C.Fitzpatrick
a superglamorous baggage of tinsel — … a major movie star — Nolan Miller
4. : deep stone
III. transitive verb
( tinseled or tinselled ; tinseled or tinselled ; tinseling or tinselling ; tinsels )
1. : to interweave, overlay, or adorn with or as if with tinsel
can produce tinseled or velvet surfaces by flocking — Publisher's Weekly
dew tinseled the leaves — Truman Capote
a gaudy tinseled dragonfly — Haldane Macfall
2. : to impart to or cover with a meretricious brightness or appearance
enraptured by all the tinseled glamour — Arthur Knight
her tinseled picture of high life … thrilled the drab Victorian maiden — Robert Halsband
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: tinsel (II) ; from the delicate filament or flimmer
: a flagellum (as on the zoospores of some phycomycetes) having a central axis from which extend short lateral hairs — compare flimmer , whiplash