The terms bangle and bracelet are often used interchangeably. At Mochishop we house all our bracelets and bangles
under the same category. But is there a real difference between a bangle and bracelet? If so, what is it?
The terms "bangle" and "bracelet" have different etymologies. Bangle is from the Hindi bangri which means ring shaped bracelet or anklet. The word "bracelet" is from Middle French brachialle meaning armlet.
Possessing different linguistic roots, both words approximate different regional conceptions of the adornments in question.
The bracelet appears to have the more generic of the two definitions, encompassing anything which may be worn on the arm - though more commonly on the wrist.
Bangle, on the other hand, has more of a fixed form: It is ring-shaped.
The most important distinction that we may solicit, therefore, is that the bangle must be ring-shaped (i.e., always circular, always solid) whereas the bracelet can be flexible.
But more than this, the bangle implies a musicality that is not a feature of the bracelet. Multiple bangles may be worn in Hindu culture - or in Western variations - where the bangles hit against one another producing a pleasant percussive sound. This may explain the onomatopoeic quality of the word "bangle".
The fact that bangles are inherently solid dictates that they must be made from a finite range of firm materials. As such we find wooden bangles, silver bangles and gold bangles.
Conversely, this is why we find bracelets made with a more diverse range of materials. We can have leather bracelets, hemp bracelets or cotton bracelets, as well as silver bracelets and gold.
[for more dictionary definitions please see Mochishop's jewellery wiki]
