Danglers

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A type of ornamental or decorative item that hangs loosely and swings freely
2. A term referring to elements in a structure that extend out and are not firmly attached
3. Items or parts that dangle from a larger object, often serving a decorative or functional purpose

Etymology: In its structural sense, a dangler is something that hangs loose from the body it belongs to, with nothing firmly holding it in place. The term is built from "dangle" plus the agent suffix "-er," so it literally means "a thing that dangles." Dangle itself probably came into English from a Scandinavian source, related to Swedish "dangla," which means to swing or hang loosely. The sense of loose attachment is what makes the term useful in technical and everyday talk. A dangler can be a stray wire, a loose strut, or a limb that projects beyond its support. Because the suffix turns a verb of motion into a noun for an object, the word describes the part by how it hangs rather than by what it is made of.