ornamentation

American  

[awr-nuh-men-tey-shuhn, ‑muhn‑] / ˌɔr nə mɛnˈteɪ ʃən, ‑mən‑ /

noun

1. the act of ornamenting.

2. the state of being ornamented. ornamented.

3. something with which a thing is ornamented; ornamented; embellishment.

4. ornaments collectively.

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Etymology

Origin of ornamentation

First recorded in 1850–1855

Example Sentences

Some were drawn in a realistic style, while others were more abstract, but all showed intentional design rather than random ornamentation.

From Science Daily

One thing it clarifies is why Jim Crow monuments are all rendered in the same backward, Beaux-Arts style, exploiting classical forms and elaborate ornamentation harnessed for the 1890s City Beautiful movement.

From Los Angeles Times

And as Herndon pointed out, “in time Lincoln’s style changed: he became more eloquent but with less gaudy ornamentation. He grew in oratorical power, dropping gradually the alliteration and rosy metaphor of youth.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Where the rich of previous generations could be counted on to spend their wealth on lavish ornamentation and expensive craftwork, social media accessibility has turned tastemaking into a two-way street.

From Salon

The tent may conjure fantasies of seeing a performance 100 years ago — with 3,000 hand-beveled mirrors, hand-cut stained glass windows and ornate carved wood ornamentation — but the show’s content is decidedly modern.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• embellishment