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ornaments

 - 3 dictionary results

or⋅na⋅ment

[n. awr-nuh-muhnt; v. awr-nuh-ment, -muhnt]
–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.
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.
–verb (used with object)
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.

Origin:
1175–1225; < L ornāmentum equipment, ornament, equiv. to ornā(re) to equip + -mentum -ment; r. ME ornement < OF < L, as above


or⋅na⋅ment⋅er, noun


1. embellishment. 3, 5. decoration. 10, 11. decorate, adorn, grace.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To ornaments
or·na·ment   (ôr'nə-mənt)   
n.  
  1. Something that decorates or adorns; an embellishment.

  2. A person considered as a source of pride, honor, or credit: a singer who is an ornament to the world of opera.

  3. Music A note or group of notes that embellishes a melody.

tr.v.   (-měnt') or·na·ment·ed, or·na·ment·ing, or·na·ments
  1. To furnish with ornaments: ornamented the windows with hanging plants.

  2. To be an ornament to: "The babies ornament her ankles, dangle from her pant legs" (Carolyn Chute).


[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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

ornament  (n.)
c.1225, "an accessory," from O.Fr. ornement, from L. ornamentum "equipment, trappings, embellishment," from ornare "equip, adorn" (see ornate). Meaning "decoration, embellishment" is attested from 1388. The verb is first recorded 1720, from the noun. Ornamental is 1646, partly formed in Eng., partly from L. ornamentalis, from ornamentum.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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