ornament
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a small, pretty object you use to decorate a room or a tree.
n.a decorative object or detail used to embellish the appearance of a room, garment, or other item.
Simple“She placed a small glass ornament on the shelf to brighten the room.”
In context“The mantelpiece was crowded with various ceramic ornaments collected during their travels across Europe.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.extra notes added to a melody to make it sound more beautiful or complex.
n.musical flourishes, such as trills or appoggiaturas, that decorate a melodic line without being essential to its basic structure.
Simple“The pianist added a delicate ornament to the end of the phrase.”
In context“Baroque compositions often require the performer to improvise ornaments to enhance the expressive quality of the slow movements.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.a physical feature of an animal, like bright feathers, used to attract a mate.
n.a physical trait, often elaborate or brightly coloured, that serves a decorative function in mate selection.
Simple“The peacock's long, colourful tail is a famous example of a biological ornament.”
In context“Evolutionary biologists study how specific ornaments, such as antlers or bright plumage, influence reproductive success within a species.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to add decoration to something to make it look better.
v.to adorn or embellish something; to make more aesthetically pleasing through the addition of decorative elements.
Simple“Hand-painted flowers were used to ornament the wooden chest.”
In context“The architect chose to ornament the columns with intricate carvings that reflected the building's historical significance.”
UsageOften used in the passive voice.
“Goods covered by the swingeing US import taxes include everything from anoraks to Christmas ornaments.”
“They compared the drill marks on the two objects, trying to determine whether any similarities suggested the same technique had been used to make both ornaments.”
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.