Glittered, sequined, tinseled, spangled — all are more recognizable synonyms for “clinquant,” which is an adjective that means “glittering with gold and silver,” specifically. If you have a blue sequined dress, it may be quite glamorous, but it’s not clinquant. “Clinquant” can be a noun as well, often used to refer to imitation gold leaf. It’s made to imitate the appearance of gold, but it’s a combination of copper, zinc, and brass. The French word “clinquant” means “clinking, tinkling,” appropriate for gold and silver knocking together, but the Dutch word “klinken” also means “to clink.” Imitation gold leaf is sometimes called Dutch gold, likely from this etymology.