decoration

American  

[dek-uh-rey-shuhn] / ˌdɛk əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. something used for decorating; adornment; embellishment.

   The gymnasium was adorned with posters and crepe-paper decorations for the dance.

2. the act of decorating.

3. interior decoration.

4. a badge, medal, etc., conferred and worn as a mark of honor.

   a decoration for bravery.

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decoration British  

/ ˌdɛkəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. an addition that renders something more attractive or ornate; adornment

2. the act, process, or art of decorating

3. a medal, badge, etc, conferred as a mark of honour

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Other Word Forms

• nondecoration noun
• overdecoration noun
• redecoration noun
• superdecoration noun

Etymology

Origin of decoration

First recorded in 1575–85; from Late Latin decorātiōn- (stem of decorātiō ) “an ornament”; decorate, -ion

Example Sentences

He “has mystical tendencies, no common sense, and a Wagnerian taste for heroics and death. He was born loaded with vanities and has developed megalomania as his final decoration.”

From The Wall Street Journal

They’re an everyday kitchen staple, a decoration drying outside homes, and a tool to ward off bad spirits and illness.

From Salon

As Christmas decorations come down, London's streets will be strewn with real trees waiting to be picked up by council workers, raising questions about their environmental impact and what can be done to reduce waste.

From BBC

“It would be a sacrilege merely to redecorate it — a word I hate. It must be restored, and that has nothing to do with decoration. That is a question of scholarship.”

From Salon

"The fence of some of the apartments backs onto the school and years ago some of the ladies put small decorations and windmills along their gardens for the children to look at," she said.

From BBC

Related Words

• color
• design
• finery
• ornament
• plaque
• ribbon
• trinket
• wreath