[n. awr-nuh-muh
nt; v. awr-nuh-ment, -muhnt] 
| 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. |
| 2. | a system, category, or style of such objects or features; ornamentation: a book on Gothic ornament. |
| 3. | any adornment or means of adornment. |
| 4. | a person or thing that adds to the credit or glory of a society, era, etc. |
| 5. | the act of adorning. |
| 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. |
| 10. | to furnish with ornaments; embellish: to ornament a musical composition. |
| 11. | to be an ornament to: Several famous scientists were acquired to ornament the university. |
| or·na·ment (ôr'nə-mənt) n.
[Middle English ournement, from Old French ornement, from Latin ōrnāmentum, from ōrnāre, to adorn; see ar- in Indo-European roots.] or'na·ment'er n. |
ornament
in architecture, any element added to an otherwise merely structural form, usually for purposes of decoration or embellishment. Three basic and fairly distinct categories of ornament in architecture may be recognized: mimetic, or imitative, ornament, the forms of which have certain definite meanings or symbolic significance; applied ornament, intended to add beauty to a structure but extrinsic to it; and organic ornament, inherent in the building's function or materials
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