decorative art

American  

noun

1. art that is meant to be useful as well as beautiful, as ceramics, furniture, jewelry, and textiles.

2. Usually decorative arts. any of the arts, as ceramics or jewelry making, whose works are created to be useful.

3. works of decorative art collectively.

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Etymology

Origin of decorative art

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

Prints, paintings and works of decorative art document the philosophies, pivotal events and major figures of the time, from the Boston Massacre and Paul Revere to indigenous conflicts and George Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 18, 2026

This 23-story building’s exterior is decorated and capped with stylized floral ornament borrowed from contemporary French decorative art.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2023

He was also navigating the minefield of cultural appropriation: Would such decorative art assume a different significance when used by an African, African-American or white photographer in a shoot?

From New York Times • Dec. 3, 2020

The Shenandoah Valley Scrollers carve out wood and other materials with a scroll saw to create everything from spoons, boxes and trivets, to beautiful and intricate decorative art pieces.

From Washington Times • Jun. 4, 2017

At present we must trace purely decorative art a little further.

From Custom and Myth New Edition by Lang, Andrew