decoration
Americannoun
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something used for decorating; adornment; embellishment.
The gymnasium was adorned with posters and crepe-paper decorations for the dance.
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the act of decorating.
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a badge, medal, etc., conferred and worn as a mark of honor.
a decoration for bravery.
noun
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an addition that renders something more attractive or ornate; adornment
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the act, process, or art of decorating
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a medal, badge, etc, conferred as a mark of honour
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They’re an everyday kitchen staple, a decoration drying outside homes, and a tool to ward off bad spirits and illness.
From Salon • Jan. 15, 2026
In 1985 she was awarded the Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest civilian decoration, but refused to collect it until President François Mitterrand agreed to close the royal hunting grounds.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 28, 2025
A study published in the Journal of World Prehistory suggests that some of the earliest known images of plants created by humans served a deeper purpose than decoration.
From Science Daily • Dec. 16, 2025
How you decorate the tree itself is also a matter of personal preference - some put on every decoration they can find, whereas for others it's a more refined exercise.
From BBC • Dec. 1, 2025
Hidden away as they are in the bowels of the earth, to protect them from the casual intruder, they must have been considered far more serious than decoration.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
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.
