What does tasseling mean?
Tasseling most often means decorative trim made up of tassels, especially the small hanging bundles of threads, cords, or fabric attached to clothing, furnishings, or ceremonial dress. As a noun, it can refer to the material or arrangement of such trim, while “tassel” more commonly names one individual hanging ornament. The noun is also used for the stage when a plant, especially maize, produces its tassels; a field of maize that is “tasseling” is entering its flowering stage. As a verb, tasseling means adding tassels to an item and can also refer, in agriculture, to removing tassels from ears of maize. These related uses make the word especially useful when discussing both decoration and plant development. American English generally spells it “tasseling” with one l, although “tasselling” remains common in British English and elsewhere.
Decorative trimming composed of tassels, or the process by which a plant develops tassels, especially maize.
"The dancers' jackets were decorated with gold tasseling."
In agriculture, the noun refers to the emergence of a plant's tassels rather than to the tassels themselves.
To decorate something with tassels; in an agricultural context, to remove tassels from an ear of maize.
"The artisan was tasseling the ceremonial robes with braided gold cords."
As a present participle, it can also describe the natural development of tassels in a plant.
Rare and chiefly used when individual hanging ornaments are counted; tasseling is normally an uncountable noun when referring to decorative trim.
"Red tasselings hung from the edges of the canopy."
Gold tasseling can turn a simple robe into a pageant of movement and ceremony.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tasseling come from?
Tasseling was formed from the English word “tassel” and the suffix “-ing,” with the related verb meaning to add tassels or remove them from maize. “Tassel” entered Middle English from Old French tassel, an older word for a small cup or pendant-like object, and its modern sense developed from that idea of a hanging ornament. The spellings tasseling and tasselling are now established regional variants.
Related word forms
How tasseling is actually used
The one-l spelling is standard in American English, while the two-l spelling “tasselling” is also established in British English. In agricultural contexts, a crop that “is tasseling” is producing tassels, whereas “tasseling corn” as an action can also mean removing tassels from the ears.
Easily confused with tasseling
A tassel is an individual hanging ornament, whereas tasseling can refer collectively to decorative trim, the material used for tassels, or the process of adding tassels.