adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of decorative
Explanation
Things that are decorative have no purpose except to look pretty. Blueberry bushes produce fruit that humans and birds can eat, while boxwood shrubs are purely decorative. The fake buttons on your winter coat are just decorative — then again, your high heeled shoes are more decorative than useful, and your jewelry and makeup is also decorative. The knickknacks on your mantel, the wreath on your front door, and the creepy doll collection in your living room are all decorative as well. These things dress up or ornament your home, and decorative comes from the Latin root decorare, "to decorate, adorn, or beautify."
Vocabulary lists containing decorative
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His attorneys said the blast melted decorative lighting on his balcony, charred the railing and melted sections of artificial turf.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Sometimes the market is rich in soap, flowers and decorative squash but not in dinner.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
Hungary's government has called on businesses to use less electricity, banned outdoor fires and ordered decorative lighting on state buildings to be switched off to save energy.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
The Flatiron Building - with its unique triangular shape, narrow prow, ornamental columns and intricate decorative details - has been one of the most recognisable structures in New York City for more than a century.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
The camera pans again, showing rows of older Black folks with golden Glows, decked out in their Sunday best; colorful dresses, big decorative hats, suits and silk ties.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
