the word 'tasseled' is formed from the noun 'tassel' with the addition of the adjectival suffix '-ed'. the noun 'tassel' entered middle english from old french, where it referred to a clasp or fastener, a meaning that evolved to denote the ornamental pendant we recognize today. the '-ed' suffix is a native english grammatical element used productively to create adjectives meaning 'possessing or characterized by' the noun it attaches to. thus, the literal construction 'having tassels' directly and logically yields the modern meaning of being decorated with such ornaments.

Structure: tassel (a hanging ornament) + ed (adjective-forming suffix) tassel (from old french tassel, 'clasp, fastening', of uncertain ultimate origin, perhaps from vulgar latin tassellus) functions as the core noun root. ed (from old english -ede, -od, a suffix forming adjectives from nouns, indicating 'having, provided with') functions as a derivational suffix.