Tinsel, glittering metallic sheets, as of burished brass, copper, or tin, almost as thin as foil, and used in discs, patches, strips, or threads for giving clothing, &c. a sparkling appearance.
Tinsel
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 10: Swastika to Zyrianovsk and Index, p. 217–218
Source scan(s): p. 0236, p. 0237