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

On a Christmas tree greeting card, for example, a miniature ballerina ornament had three separate colors, including red lips.

From The Wall Street Journal

Over the next few weeks, he expects to take back to stores a lot of fake Christmas trees and ornaments, along with unwanted presents from in-laws and clothes in aspirational sizes.

From The Wall Street Journal

“This year, we are going to redo the three, it’s going to be a ski-themed tree,” Brown said as he and his team got to work placing colorful ornaments on the tree.

From MarketWatch

Mr. Yasunaga, however, forms his creations out of glaze and other ornaments, then buries the objects in sand or unrefined clay to fire them.

From The Wall Street Journal

Most of us have received at least one Christms present that missed the mark - a jumper that doesn't fit, a hideous ornament or a perfume you don't like.

From BBC

Related Words

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