ornament

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

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

Save This Word!

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR ornament

1 embellishment.

3, 5 decoration.

10, 11 decorate, adorn, grace.

See synonyms for ornament on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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

ormer, ormolu, Ormond Beach, Ormonde, Ormuz, ornament, ornamental, ornamentalism, ornamentation, ornamented, ornate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ornament in a sentence

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
The Daily Pic: Silversmith Sakurako Shimizu makes ornament from exclamations.
Jewelry that Speaks for Itself|Blake Gopnik|April 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
She inspired the designer to craft a brilliant silver minidress with a lightning-bolt head ornament.
Armani Goes Gaga: Giorgio Armani Intoxicated by Lady Gaga|Robin Givhan|February 6, 2011|DAILY BEAST
She was examining the ornament on the back of which was carved a miniature bar of music, with three or four notes.
The Cromptons|Mary J. Holmes
Meantime the court receives the rents; the garden, the chief ornament of the town, is running wild, and the house is deserted.
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil|Maria Graham
The trees are sometimes prettily arranged in alleys, but are planted far less for ornament than for use.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
She was dressed in a high-necked dress of black lace, and wore in her corsage a large circular ornament of diamonds and emeralds.
The Doctor of Pimlico|William Le Queux
Three clubs, which look from without to be very comfortable, ornament this square with their gas-lamps.
Little Travels and Roadside Sketches|William Makepeace Thackeray

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

ornament

OTHER WORDS FOR ornament

Origin of ornament

OTHER WORDS FROM ornament

Words nearby ornament

Words related to ornament

How to use ornament in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ornament

Derived forms of ornament

Word Origin for ornament