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 clause survives as decoration: incorporated, venerated, and incapable of stopping a single seizure.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026

There were also no images of Macron kneeling before the king in official photographs published by Thailand's foreign ministry of the leaders at the decoration ceremony and state dinner, an AFP review found.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

She puts a lot of effort into home decoration and entertaining guests as she tries to keep Joe’s churlishness at bay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

“It’s a decoration, because your system has to now fight the sugar while it’s trying to digest it.”

From MarketWatch ● May 10, 2026

By all rights, the arena of exterior decoration belonged to William Pretyman, the fair’s official director of color.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

And yet, every Christmas when we open up the storage tub containing decorations, we come across a plastic bag full of Forky-like holiday creations our kids made in school.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026

Residents sometimes rented a car out for birthday parties, laying out food and hanging decorations, with guests all boarding at different stops along the route.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

Since taking office, Trump has also paved over the Rose Garden lawn at the White House and plastered the Oval Office with gold decorations.

From Barron's ● May 11, 2026

The parties are so frequent that parents are even sharing decorations to reduce costs, she says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026

But the holiday decorations weren’t nearly as prominent or glossy as they were in American cities.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye

Related Words

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