- Today's Word
Fandangle
[FAN-dang-guhl]
Definition
- (noun) An ornate or showy decoration, trinket, or unnecessary embellishment. It can also refer to a complicated or elaborate process or activity, often one that is seen as unnecessarily complex or frivolous.
Example
The new smartphone came with so many fandangles and features that most users found it overwhelming and struggled to perform even basic tasks.
Fun Fact
The word “fandangle” is believed to have originated in the mid-19th century in American English. Its exact etymology is unclear, but it’s thought to be a playful combination of “fandango” (a lively Spanish dance) and “dangle” (to hang loosely). The term reflects the idea of something showy or decorative that hangs or is attached to something else. Over time, it has come to describe any unnecessary or overly complicated addition to an object or process.
(verb) To assign someone or something to a lower position, status, or role—often as a form of dismissal or reduction in importance.
After the scandal, the senator was relegated to a minor committee post.
Late Middle English: from Latin relegare, meaning “to send away,” from re- ‘again’ + legare ‘to send’.