ornament

[ noun awr-nuh-muhnt; verb awr-nuh-ment, -muhnt ]

/ noun ˈɔr nə mənt; verb ˈɔr nəˌmɛnt, -mənt /

See synonyms for: ornament / ornamented / ornaments on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

a system, category, or style of such objects or features; ornamentation: a book on Gothic ornament.

any adornment or means of adornment.

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

the act of adorning.

the state of being adorned.

mere outward display: a speech more of ornament than of ideas.

Chiefly Ecclesiastical. any accessory, adjunct, or equipment.

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

verb (used with object)

to furnish with ornaments; embellish: to ornament a musical composition.

to be an ornament to: Several famous scientists were acquired to ornament the university.

SYNONYMS FOR ornament

1 embellishment.

3, 5 decoration.

10, 11 decorate, adorn, grace.

See synonyms for ornament on Thesaurus.com

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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

OTHER WORDS FROM ornament

or·na·ment·er, nouno·ver·or·na·ment, verb (used with object)re·or·na·ment, verb (used with object)su·per·or·na·ment, noun

su·per·or·na·ment, verb (used with object)

Words nearby ornament

Ormond Beach, Ormonde, Ormond's disease, Ormuz, Orn, ornament, ornamental, ornamentalism, ornamentation, ornamented, ornate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for ornament

You might not have been considering an ornament from the Supreme Court Historical Society or butterfly-inspired jewelry from Brookside Gardens, but there’s a lot to explore.
The best things to do — virtually and in person — while social distancing in the D.C. area|Fritz Hahn, Hau Chu|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
It also said the tree would be illuminated throughout December, and visitors are invited to the site to view it and trees representing each state and territory and the District, decorated with ornaments designed by students from across the country.
No live audience for National Christmas Tree Lighting, park service says|Martin Weil|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
To commemorate surviving 2020—something that everyone should celebrate—we’ve picked out a few ornaments that seem quite fitting for these times.
Gift Guide: Extremely 2020 holiday ornaments|Rachel Schallom|November 7, 2020|Fortune
Show them your father will not, will no longer, have license to treat you as ornaments for his own ego and needs.
Carolyn Hax: How to tell Dad that you want to dispense with the unpleasantries|Carolyn Hax|November 6, 2020|Washington Post

This battery-free device dangles like an ornament from a tree and harvests all the energy it needs from the natural swaying of branches.
Trees power this alarm system for remote forest fires|Stephen Ornes|October 16, 2020|Science News For Students
McConnell soon followed, beaming like an ornament atop a Christmas tree.
Mitch’s Brotastic Victory Bash|Olivia Nuzzi|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is your ornament, your grace, your seduction, your chant for courting.
‘Mirages’: Anaïs Nin’s Intimate, Unexpurgated Diaries|Lizzie Crocker|October 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I have meant you, all along, to be the ornament of your sex, and now—the devil take it!
The Blue Pavilions|Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
The ornament is painted in a similar manner, but usually not with the same care in the details of its execution.
British Manufacturing Industries|L. Arnoux
Venerable and grand, but wholly devoid of ornament, it partakes of the character of the surrounding scenery.
A Tour throughout South Wales and Monmouthshire|J. T. Barber
In the earliest work the ornament was not characterised by the same profusion so common in later work.
A Handbook of Pictorial History|Henry W. Donald
A dish of filets de sole or cutlets, crisp and golden brown, is an ornament to any table, and is seldom disdained by any one.
Culture and Cooking|Catherine Owen

British Dictionary definitions for ornament

ornament

noun (ˈɔːnəmənt)

anything that enhances the appearance of a person or thing

decorations collectivelyshe was totally without ornament

a small decorative object

something regarded as a source of pride or beauty

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

verb (ˈɔːnəˌmɛnt) (tr)

to decorate with or as if with ornaments

to serve as an ornament to

Derived forms of ornament

ornamentation, noun

Word Origin for ornament

C14: from Latin ornāmentum, from ornāre to adorn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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ornament