Tassel

/ˈtæsəl/ noun, verb

noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: A ball-shaped bunch of plaited or otherwise entangled threads from which at one end protrudes a cord on which the ball is hung, and which may have loose, dangling threads at the other end (often used as decoration along the bottom of garments, curtains or other hangings).
  • Grammar: tassel is listed as noun, verb.
  • Nearest alternatives: adorn, baranduki, cord, decorate.
  • Useful contrasts: detassel, unadorn, undecorate.
  • Usage evidence: "Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last pointing to a thick bell-rope which hung down beside the bed, the tassel actually lying upon the pillow.

How to use "tassel"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "tassel" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "tassel" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "tassel" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "tassel" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "tassel" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "adorn" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "tassel", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A ball-shaped bunch of plaited or otherwise entangled threads from which at one end protrudes a cord on which the ball is hung, and which may have loose, dangling threads at the other end (often used as decoration along the bottom of garments, curtains or other hangings).
  2. 2
    Alternative form of tassell. alt-of, alternative
  3. 3
    adornment consisting of a bunch of cords fastened at one end wordnet
  4. 4
    The panicle on a male plant of maize, which consists of loose threads with anthers on them.
  5. 5
    The loose hairs at the end of a braid.
Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    A narrow silk ribbon, or similar, sewn to a book to be put between the pages.
  2. 7
    A piece of board that is laid upon a wall as a sort of plate, to give a level surface to the ends of floor timbers.
  3. 8
    A kind of bur used in dressing cloth; a teasel.
  4. 9
    A thin plate of gold on the back of a bishop's gloves.
Verb
  1. 1
    To adorn with tassels. transitive

    "[…] gauzes of silver mist; Loop’d up with cords of twisted wreathed light, And tassell’d round with weeping meteors!"

  2. 2
    To put forth a tassel or flower. intransitive

    "Maize is a crop that tassels."

Example

""Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last pointing to a thick bell-rope which hung down beside the bed, the tassel actually lying upon the pillow."

Common questions

What does "tassel" mean?

A ball-shaped bunch of plaited or otherwise entangled threads from which at one end protrudes a cord on which the ball is hung, and which may have loose, dangling threads at the other end (often used as decoration along the bottom of garments, curtains or other hangings).

What is a synonym for "tassel"?

Common synonyms include: adorn, baranduki, cord, decorate, develop, drapery.

How do you use "tassel" in a sentence?

"Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last pointing to a thick bell-rope which hung down beside the bed, the tassel actually lying upon the pillow.

How do you pronounce "tassel"?

Pronounced /ˈtæsəl/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English tassel, from Old French tassel, from Latin tāxillus (“small cube”), from tālus (“ankle”).

Etymology 2

See tassell.

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