decoration

American  

[dek-uh-rey-shuhn] / ˌdɛk əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

• decorations
  plural

1. something used for decorating; adornment; embellishment.

   The gymnasium was adorned with posters and crepe-paper decorations for the dance.

2. the act of decorating.

3. interior decoration.

4. a badge, medal, etc., conferred and worn as a mark of honor.

   a decoration for bravery.

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decoration British  

/ ˌdɛkəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. an addition that renders something more attractive or ornate; adornment

2. the act, process, or art of decorating

3. a medal, badge, etc, conferred as a mark of honour

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nondecoration
  noun
• overdecoration
  noun
• redecoration
  noun
• superdecoration
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• decorations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of decoration

First recorded in 1575–85; from Late Latin decorātiōn- (stem of decorātiō ) “an ornament”; see decorate, -ion

Explanation

A decoration is anything used to make something more attractive or festive. If you’re having a Valentine’s Day party, drape your house in red and pink decorations. Decoration is also a type of honor, like a soldier's medal or stripe. To decorate is to spiff something up, making it more colorful and attractive, like hanging streamers in a room or ornaments on a tree. Decorations are things used in this way. Many decorations are specific to holidays, like green decorations for St. Patrick's Day. Also, decorations are the honors given to people who have won or achieved something. A war hero's Purple Heart medal is a decoration. You can say that someone who has many of these honors is decorated.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

decoration decorations

The sequel is flat and digital, loaded with garish CGI and set decoration that often mistakes boho chic for cottagecore.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

Now, thanks to a joint install with a friend, the light fixture hangs in the laundry area between the bedroom and bathroom, occasionally catching a cross breeze but mostly serving as decoration.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

The contrast between restrained facades and secretive decoration gets to the heart of the Genoese mentality, says Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, who divides his time between his native Genoa and Paris.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

The pot was compact enough to fit in a palm, with a simple rim, a smooth dull gray surface, and no decoration.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026

Maybe it was the decoration and all these Vocational people and kids being jammed together.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers

In the wholesale markets of Yiwu, the Chinese city known for supplying the world with inexpensive goods, buyers can find prayer rugs, Quran stands, modest clothing, Ramadan lanterns and crescent-shaped decorations.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

A new study led by researchers at the University of Bologna suggests that the markings were far more organized than simple scratches or improvised decorations.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

Earlier on Monday, Bangkok governor Chatchart Sittipunt said the flammable interior decorations on the bar's ceiling may have facilitated the blaze's rapid spread.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

He dined with his fellow jurors including Demi Moore and Chloé Zhao among the decorations of cinema memorabilia, including the boxing trunks worn by Robert De Niro in “Raging Bull.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

We shared the joy of being in this room, in the home of an artist, a person whose life was gracious and carefree, whose furnishings and decorations were as impractical as ours were utilitarian.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

Related Words

• color
• design
• finery
• ornament
• plaque
• ribbon
• trinket
• wreath