diamanté

A dancer's costume is covered in sparkling diamanté.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A sparkling, diamond-like decoration: "diamanté" refers to a small, glittering ornament or sequin made of paste or imitation diamond, used to adorn clothing, accessories, or jewelry. It is typically made of glass or crystal and cut to resemble a diamond.

2. Adjective:

   • Decorated with such ornaments: "diamanté" describes an item (e.g., a garment or accessory) that is embellished with these sparkling, diamond-like decorations.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The evening gown was covered in diamanté, catching the light with every movement. (The dress was adorned with small, glittering, imitation diamond ornaments.)
  • She sewed a single diamanté onto the collar of her blouse for a touch of elegance. (She attached a sparkling decoration to the shirt.)

• Adjective:

  • She wore a diamanté necklace that looked like real diamonds. (The necklace was decorated with imitation diamond ornaments.)
  • The designer added a diamanté trim to the sleeves of the jacket. (The jacket's sleeves were embellished with sparkling decorations.)

Advanced Usage

• "diamanté brooch": a decorative pin or clasp set with imitation diamonds.

  • The vintage diamanté brooch was a family heirloom. (The pin, decorated with sparkling paste stones, was inherited.)

• "diamanté buckle": a fastening for a belt or shoe that includes such decorations.

  • Her shoes had a diamanté buckle that sparkled in the sunlight. (The buckle contained imitation diamond ornaments.)

Variants and Related Words

• Diamanté (adj) is often used as an invariable form (no comparative or superlative) in English.
• Diamanté (n) can also be spelled as diamante (without the accent), though the accent is typical in English usage to indicate the French origin.
• Diamanté work (n): the craft or technique of applying such decorations.
  • The dress featured intricate diamanté work on the bodice. (The upper part of the dress had detailed sparkling ornamentation.)

Synonyms

• Sequins: small, shiny disks often sewn onto fabric for decoration.
• Paste: a hard, glassy substance used to imitate gems.
• Rhine stones: imitation diamonds made from rock crystal or glass.
• Glitter: small, shiny particles used for decoration.

Related Idioms

• "Diamanté and shine": a phrase used in fashion to describe a style that emphasizes sparkle and glamour.
  • The red carpet was all about diamanté and shine. (The event featured many glittering, diamond-like decorations.)

Notes

• "Diamanté" is a loanword from French, where it means "diamond-like" (from , "diamond"). In English, it specifically refers to imitation or paste diamonds, not real ones.
• It is commonly used in haute couture, costume jewelry, and stage costumes to create a luxurious, sparkling effect without the cost of genuine diamonds.