What does paillette mean?
A paillette is a small, flat, shining ornament used to decorate clothing, costumes, or other fabrics. It may be made of metal, foil, plastic, or glass and can resemble a tiny disk, star, or spangle. Rows of paillettes are often sewn or attached to garments so that they reflect light as the wearer moves, producing a scintillating effect. The word is chiefly used in fashion, textile, costume, and decorative contexts and is less common in everyday speech than the general term spangle. Although its form may be difficult to distinguish from a sequin, paillette traditionally suggests a small decorative disk that may not be a conventional sequin. The term is also encountered as the common name of a mackerel in parts of the western Indian Ocean, a usage distinct from the ornamental sense. Its French ancestry connects it with paille, “straw,” through the idea of small, thin pieces.
nounA small flat decorative disk or spangle, especially one used on clothing or other fabric. The term is also used for a small decorative metal embellishment.
- A small flat decorative disk or spangle, especially one sewn onto clothing or fabric.
- A decorative metal embellishment resembling a small disk or star.
"She stitched tiny gold paillettes onto the bodice of her evening gown."
"The dancer's costume was covered with tiny silver paillettes that caught every beam of light."
"The designer finished the collar with rows of delicate paillettes."
The plural retains the final -e and doubles the t.
"Rows of silver paillettes covered the jacket's sleeves."
Paillette preserves a trace of French paille, meaning straw: the sparkling ornament was named for its thin, flat form.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does paillette come from?
The word comes from French paillette, a diminutive associated with paille, “straw.” The French term developed in the sense of a small piece or flake and was subsequently used for glittering ornaments resembling small pieces of metal. English adopted the specialized decorative sense, and the spelling paillette also occurs as the common name of a western Indian Ocean mackerel.
How paillette is actually used
Paillette is chiefly a specialized decorative or fashion term. It is sometimes confused with paillette, a regional name for a mackerel, but in descriptions of garments it refers to the ornament.
Easily confused with paillette
Paillette may denote a small decorative spangle, whereas the paillette fish is a species of mackerel found in the western Indian Ocean.