Other forms: spangles
A spangle is a glittering ornament on a costume. Sewn with spangles, spangles and sequins, a spangled coat.
It is the older word for what is now usually called a sequin, and it survives mainly in star-spangled and in circus writing. The verb means to scatter with points of light — a sky spangled with stars. Note spang, an old word for a shiny clasp.
1nounspangleA glittering ornament on a costume.
“Her dress was covered in silver spangles that caught the stage lights.”
spangle is an ornament.
Middle English spangel is a diminutive of spang, a small piece of shining metal or a clasp.
Proto-Indo-European
*(s)penh₁- — to twist; to weave
Proto-Germanic
*spangō — brooch; clasp
Middle Low German
spangel — small chain or clasp
Middle Dutch
spange
Middle English
spangel — small piece of ornamental metal, spangle; small ornament
English, today
spangle
Built from
The noun is derived from Middle English spangel (“small piece of ornamental metal, spangle; small ornament”)spancle, spangele, spangell, spangelle, spangyll, from spang (“small piece of ornamental metal, spangle; small ornament; type of bowl or cup”) + -el. Spang is derived from Middle Dutch spange, spaenge (“buckle, clasp; brooch; spangle”) (modern Dutch spang (“clasp; hook; metal hairband; metal pin”)), from Middle Low German spangel (“small chain or clasp”), from Proto-Germanic spangō (“brooch; clasp”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European (s)penh₁- (“to twist; to weave”). The English word is analysable as spang + le. The verb is derived from the noun.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA