Word of the Day

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

TUESDAY, APRIL 7

Fandangle

[fan-DAYN-ɡəl]Part of speech: noun

Origin: unknown, 19th century

• A useless or purely ornamental thing.

Examples of Fandangle in a sentence

• I couldn’t resist buying the little fandangle at the beachside souvenir store.
• Her wedding dress was covered in bows and lace and fandangles.

About Fandangle

There’s not much use for this object, but it sure is pretty. Maybe you have a cabinet full of knick-knacks, or your bed is covered with ornamental pillows. Anything with purely decorative potential, but no real use — that’s a fandangle.

Did you Know?

Fandangle can’t be traced back to a specific root language, but it’s safe to assume it’s related to fandango. This is the name for a lively Spanish dance accompanied by a tambourine, or the name for an elaborate process or activity. Fandangle came about in the 19th century, likely as an alteration of the second definition of fandango.