ornament

American  

[awr-nuh-muhnt, awr-nuh-ment, -muhnt] / ˈɔr nə mənt, ˈɔr nəˌmɛnt, -mənt /

noun

1. an accessory, article, or detail used to beautify the appearance of something to which it is added or of which it is a part.

   architectural ornaments.

   Synonyms:

   embellishment

2. a system, category, or style of such objects or features; ornamentation.

   a book on Gothic ornament.

3. any adornment or means of adornment.

   Synonyms:

   decoration

4. a person or thing that adds to the credit or glory of a society, era, etc.

5. the act of adorning.

   Synonyms:

   decoration

6. the state of being adorned.

7. mere outward display.

   a speech more of ornament than of ideas.

8. Chiefly Ecclesiastical. any accessory, adjunct, or equipment.

9. Music. a tone or group of tones applied as decoration to a principal melodic tone.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with ornaments; embellish.

   to ornament a musical composition.

   Synonyms:

   grace, adorn, decorate

2. to be an ornament to.

   Several famous scientists were acquired to ornament the university.

   Synonyms:

   grace, adorn, decorate

ornament British  

noun

1. anything that enhances the appearance of a person or thing

2. decorations collectively

   she was totally without ornament

3. a small decorative object

4. something regarded as a source of pride or beauty

5. music any of several decorations, such as the trill, mordent, etc, occurring chiefly as improvised embellishments in baroque music

---

verb

1. to decorate with or as if with ornaments

2. to serve as an ornament to

Other Word Forms

• ornamentation noun
• ornamenter noun
• overornament verb (used with object)
• reornament verb (used with object)
• superornament noun

Etymology

Origin of ornament

1175–1225; < Latin ornāmentum equipment, ornament, equivalent to ornā ( re ) to equip + -mentum -ment; replacing Middle English ornement < Old French < Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Having them can be explained away as old, traditional ornaments or as coming from an animal that died of natural causes.

From BBC

Very different are the bold designs for wrought-iron ornament, drawn full size, for making grilles, chandeliers and decorative crests.

From The Wall Street Journal

Russian investigators have prevented a giant meteorite fragment being smuggled to Britain disguised as a garden ornament, the Federal Customs Service reported Thursday.

From Barron's

Auction enthusiast Sarah had bid her way to a big collection of ornaments and trinkets which filled her three-bedroom house in Shetland.

From BBC

For Christmas, she said her daughters wrapped presents in Diet Coke-themed wrapping, underneath a tree with Diet Coke ornaments.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• accessory
• adornment
• art
• bauble
• embroidery
• flower
• jewel
• knickknack
• treasure
• trinket