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View synonyms for ornament

ornament

[ noun awr-nuh-muhnt; verb 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.

    Synonyms: embellishment

  2. a system, category, or style of such objects or features; ornamentation:

    a book on Gothic ornament.

  3. any adornment or means of adornment.

    Synonyms: decoration

  4. a person or thing that adds to the credit or glory of a society, era, etc.
  5. the act of adorning.

    Synonyms: decoration

  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)

  1. to furnish with ornaments; embellish:

    to ornament a musical composition.

    Synonyms: grace, adorn, decorate

  2. to be an ornament to:

    Several famous scientists were acquired to ornament the university.

    Synonyms: grace, adorn, decorate

ornament

noun

  1. anything that enhances the appearance of a person or thing
  2. decorations collectively

    she was totally without ornament

  3. a small decorative object
  4. something regarded as a source of pride or beauty
  5. music any of several decorations, such as the trill, mordent, etc, occurring chiefly as improvised embellishments in baroque music


verb

  1. to decorate with or as if with ornaments
  2. to serve as an ornament to

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Derived Forms

  • ˌornamenˈtation, noun

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Other Words From

  • orna·menter noun
  • over·orna·ment verb (used with object)
  • re·orna·ment verb (used with object)
  • super·orna·ment noun
  • super·orna·ment verb (used with object)

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Word History and Origins

Origin of ornament1

1175–1225; < Latin ornāmentum equipment, ornament, equivalent to ornā ( re ) to equip + -mentum -ment; replacing Middle English ornement < Old French < Latin, as above

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Word History and Origins

Origin of ornament1

C14: from Latin ornāmentum, from ornāre to adorn

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Example Sentences

You might not have been considering an ornament from the Supreme Court Historical Society or butterfly-inspired jewelry from Brookside Gardens, but there’s a lot to explore.

It also said the tree would be illuminated throughout December, and visitors are invited to the site to view it and trees representing each state and territory and the District, decorated with ornaments designed by students from across the country.

To commemorate surviving 2020—something that everyone should celebrate—we’ve picked out a few ornaments that seem quite fitting for these times.

From Fortune

Show them your father will not, will no longer, have license to treat you as ornaments for his own ego and needs.

This battery-free device dangles like an ornament from a tree and harvests all the energy it needs from the natural swaying of branches.

McConnell soon followed, beaming like an ornament atop a Christmas tree.

It is your ornament, your grace, your seduction, your chant for courting.

The Daily Pic: Silversmith Sakurako Shimizu makes ornament from exclamations.

She inspired the designer to craft a brilliant silver minidress with a lightning-bolt head ornament.

She was examining the ornament on the back of which was carved a miniature bar of music, with three or four notes.

Meantime the court receives the rents; the garden, the chief ornament of the town, is running wild, and the house is deserted.

The trees are sometimes prettily arranged in alleys, but are planted far less for ornament than for use.

She was dressed in a high-necked dress of black lace, and wore in her corsage a large circular ornament of diamonds and emeralds.

Three clubs, which look from without to be very comfortable, ornament this square with their gas-lamps.

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