ornament

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ornament

/ˈɔː(ɹ)nəmənt/ UK
/ˈɔɹnəmənt/ US
/ˈɔɹdəmənt/ Southern US
/ˈɔː(ɹ)nəˌmɛnt/ UK
/ˈɔɹnəˌmɛnt/ US

Where it comes from

From Middle English ornament, from Old French ornement, from Latin ornamentum (“equipment, apparatus, furniture, trappings, adornment, embellishment”), from ornāre (“to equip, adorn”). The verb is derived from the noun.

noun ornaments

countable, uncountable An element of decoration; that which embellishes or adorns. Dust are our frames; and, gilded dust, our pride / Looks only for a moment whole and sound; / Like that long-buried body of the king / Found lying with his urns and ornaments, / Which at a touch of light, an air of heaven, / Slipt into ashes and was found no more.
Similar: adornment, decoration, embellishment, ornament, garniture, garnish, garnishment, ornamentation
broadly, countable, uncountable Christmas ornament: a Christmas tree decoration.
Similar: adornment, decoration, embellishment, ornament, garniture, garnish, garnishment, ornamentation
countable, uncountable A musical flourish that is unnecessary to the overall melodic or harmonic line, but serves to decorate that line.
countable, in plural, uncountable The articles used in church services.
countable, uncountable A characteristic that has a decorative function (typically in order to attract a mate)

verb ornaments · ornamenting · ornamented

To decorate. We will ornament the windows with trim to make the room seem brighter.
Similar: adorn, bedeck, decorate, embellish, trim
To add to. The editor ornamented his plain writing, making it fancier but less clear.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: decoration, adorn, ornamentation, decorate, embellish, beautify, grace, adornment, garnish, ornamental, décor, decorating, embellishment, decor, jewelry, trophy

Translations

Every language

noun element of decoration

Español	ornamento
한국어	장신구 jangsin'gu
日本語	装飾 sōshoku
中文	裝飾品 /装饰品 zhuāngshìpǐn, 裝飾 /装饰 zhuāngshì
हिन्दी	आभूषण ābhūṣaṇ, अलंकार alaṅkār, जेवर jevar
Português	ornamento, ornato, enfeite
Français	ornement
Deutsch	Verzierung
Italiano	ornamento
Ελληνικά	διακόσμηση diakósmisi
Română	ornament
Русский	орна́мент ornáment, украше́ние ukrašénije
العربية	حِلْيَة ḥilya
עברית	נוֹי noy, עֲדִי adi

noun Christmas tree decoration

Русский	украше́ние ukrašénije, ёлочная игру́шка jóločnaja igrúška

noun musical flourish

Español	ornamento musical
한국어	장식음 jangsigeum
日本語	装飾音 sōshokuon
中文	裝飾音 /装饰音 zhuāngshìyīn
Português	ornamento
Français	ornement musical
Deutsch	musikalische Verzierung
Italiano	ornamenti
Română	ornament muzical
Русский	музыка́льный орна́мент muzykálʹnyj ornáment, музыка́льное украше́ние muzykálʹnoje ukrašénije

verb to decorate

हिन्दी	सजाना sajānā
Português	ornamentar, ornar, decorar
Română	ornamenta, înfrumuseța
Русский	украшать ukrašatʹ

verb to add to

Română	adăuga
Русский	приукрасить priukrasitʹ

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Cite this

MLA

"ornament." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ornament. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

ornament. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ornament

Chicago

"ornament." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ornament.

BibTeX

@misc{ornament_2026,
  title = {ornament},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ornament},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}