ornamental
Americanadjective
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used or grown for ornament.
ornamental plants.
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providing ornament, decorative.
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of or relating to ornament.
noun
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something ornamental; decoration; adornment.
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a plant cultivated for decorative purposes.
adjective
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of value as an ornament; decorative
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(of a plant) used to decorate houses, gardens, etc
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ornamental
Explanation
If something is ornamental, it's a decoration. The red feather in your cap is most definitely ornamental; it serves no purpose other than providing a splash of color. Ornamental things are, by definition, just for show — they're not actually useful. So an ornamental pond in your yard might be pretty, but you can't fish or swim in it, and an ornamental telephone booth in your friend's living room doesn't really work. Likewise, ornamental plants or gardens are full of beautiful flowers and foliage, but nothing in them is edible.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Goldfish are among the most widely distributed ornamental fish in the world, and the global pet trade continues to move aquatic species across continents at unprecedented levels.
From Science Daily • Jun. 26, 2026
Her life savings are tied up in a two-storey house in the planned development area, surrounded by ornamental and fruit trees.
From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026
A Met Police chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear team was seen near the park's bandstand on Friday and police divers were spotted near the Round Pond ornamental lake.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
“These lean, scrappy plants are rarely as showy as their ornamental cousins, but when it comes to fragrance, they win every award, hands down,” she wrote.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026
I recognized him, recognized his flattop of blonded hair with the ornamental frontal curl, the snarly lips, the athletic lumber.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
