ornament

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or·na·ment

(ôr′nə-mənt)

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. (-mĕnt′) 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.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ornament

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. (Classical Music) music any of several decorations, such as the trill, mordent, etc, occurring chiefly as improvised embellishments in baroque music

vb (tr)

6. to decorate with or as if with ornaments

7. to serve as an ornament to

[C14: from Latin ornāmentum, from ornāre to adorn]

ˌornamenˈtation n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

or•na•ment

(n. ˈɔr nə mənt; v. -ˌmɛnt, -mənt)

n., v. -ment•ed, -ment•ing. n.

1. an object or feature intended to beautify the appearance of that to which it is added or of which it is a part; embellishment; decoration.

2. a group or style of such objects or features; ornamentation.

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. a tone or group of tones applied as decoration to a principal melodic tone.

7. any religious accessory, adjunct, or equipment.

v.t.

8. to furnish with ornaments; embellish; decorate.

9. to serve as an ornament to.

[1175–1225; Middle English ornement < Old French < Latin ornāmentum equipment, ornament]

or′na•ment`er, n.

ornament

Past participle: ornamented
Gerund: ornamenting

Imperative
ornament
ornament

Present
I ornament
you ornament
he/she/it ornaments
we ornament
you ornament
they ornament

Preterite
I ornamented
you ornamented
he/she/it ornamented
we ornamented
you ornamented
they ornamented

Present Continuous
I am ornamenting
you are ornamenting
he/she/it is ornamenting
we are ornamenting
you are ornamenting
they are ornamenting

Present Perfect
I have ornamented
you have ornamented
he/she/it has ornamented
we have ornamented
you have ornamented
they have ornamented

Past Continuous
I was ornamenting
you were ornamenting
he/she/it was ornamenting
we were ornamenting
you were ornamenting
they were ornamenting

Past Perfect
I had ornamented
you had ornamented
he/she/it had ornamented
we had ornamented
you had ornamented
they had ornamented

Future
I will ornament
you will ornament
he/she/it will ornament
we will ornament
you will ornament
they will ornament

Future Perfect
I will have ornamented
you will have ornamented
he/she/it will have ornamented
we will have ornamented
you will have ornamented
they will have ornamented

Future Continuous
I will be ornamenting
you will be ornamenting
he/she/it will be ornamenting
we will be ornamenting
you will be ornamenting
they will be ornamenting

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been ornamenting
you have been ornamenting
he/she/it has been ornamenting
we have been ornamenting
you have been ornamenting
they have been ornamenting

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been ornamenting
you will have been ornamenting
he/she/it will have been ornamenting
we will have been ornamenting
you will have been ornamenting
they will have been ornamenting

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been ornamenting
you had been ornamenting
he/she/it had been ornamenting
we had been ornamenting
you had been ornamenting
they had been ornamenting

Conditional
I would ornament
you would ornament
he/she/it would ornament
we would ornament
you would ornament
they would ornament

Past Conditional
I would have ornamented
you would have ornamented
he/she/it would have ornamented
we would have ornamented
you would have ornamented
they would have ornamented

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	ornament - something used to beautify decoration, ornamentation artefact, artifact - a man-made object taken as a whole adornment - a decoration of color or interest that is added to relieve plainness arabesque - an ornament that interlaces simulated foliage in an intricate design architectural ornament - (architecture) something added to a building to improve its appearance beading, beadwork - ornamentation with beads bow - a decorative interlacing of ribbons brass - an ornament or utensil made of brass centerpiece, centrepiece - something placed at the center of something else (as on a table) Christmas tree - an ornamented evergreen used as a Christmas decoration cockade - an ornament (such as a knot of ribbon or a rosette) usually worn on the hat pattern, design, figure - a decorative or artistic work; "the coach had a design on the doors" embellishment - a superfluous ornament finial - an ornament at the top of a spire or gable; usually a foliated fleur-de-lis floral arrangement, flower arrangement - a decorative arrangement of flowers gimcrack, gimcrackery, falderol, folderal, nonsense, trumpery, frill - ornamental objects of no great value gargoyle - an ornament consisting of a grotesquely carved figure of a person or animal garnish - any decoration added as a trimming or adornment graffiti, graffito - a rude decoration inscribed on rocks or walls hanging, wall hanging - decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window; "the cold castle walls were covered with hangings" hood ornament - an ornament on the front of the hood of a car emblematic of the manufacturer encrustation, incrustation - a decorative coating of contrasting material that is applied to a surface as an inlay or overlay inlay - a decoration made by fitting pieces of wood into prepared slots in a surface decor, interior decoration - decoration consisting of the layout and furnishings of a livable interior pommel, knob - an ornament in the shape of a ball on the hilt of a sword or dagger lunula - a crescent-shaped metal ornament of the Bronze Age moulding, molding - a decorative strip used for ornamentation or finishing nailhead - something resembling the head of a nail that is used as an ornamental device necklet - decoration worn about the neck (fur piece or tight necklace) as an ornament overlay - a layer of decorative material (such as gold leaf or wood veneer) applied over a surface rosemaling - a Scandinavian style of carved or painted decoration (as on furniture or walls or dinnerware) consisting of floral motifs set decoration - a decoration used as part of the set of a theatrical or movie production sgraffito - a ceramic or mural decoration made by scratching off a surface layer to reveal the ground volute, spiral - ornament consisting of a curve on a plane that winds around a center with an increasing distance from the center sprig - an ornament that resembles a spray of leaves or flowers rivet, stud - ornament consisting of a circular rounded protuberance (as on a vault or shield or belt) fin, tail fin, tailfin - one of a pair of decorations projecting above the rear fenders of an automobile tinsel - a showy decoration that is basically valueless; "all the tinsel of self-promotion" tracery - decoration consisting of an open pattern of interlacing ribs wind bell, wind chime - a decorative arrangement of pieces of metal or glass or pottery that hang together loosely so the wind can cause them to tinkle garnish - something (such as parsley) added to a dish for flavor or decoration
Verb	1.	ornament - make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.; "Decorate the room for the party"; "beautify yourself for the special day" adorn, decorate, grace, embellish, beautify alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" wreathe - decorate or deck with wreaths; "wreathe the grave site" incrust, encrust, beset - decorate or cover lavishly (as with gems) braid - decorate with braids or ribbons; "braid a collar" broider, embroider - decorate with needlework stick - cover and decorate with objects that pierce the surface; "stick some feathers in the turkey before you serve it" illustrate - supply with illustrations; "illustrate a book with drawings" garland - adorn with bands of flowers or leaves; "They garlanded the statue" fledge, flight - decorate with feathers; "fledge an arrow" bespangle, spangle - decorate with spangles; "the star-spangled banner" foliate - decorate with leaves flag - decorate with flags; "the building was flagged for the holiday" bard, barde, caparison, dress up - put a caparison on; "caparison the horses for the festive occasion" bead - decorate by sewing beads onto; "bead the wedding gown" pipe - trim with piping; "pipe the skirt" applique - sew on as a decoration gild the lily, paint the lily - adorn unnecessarily (something that is already beautiful) vermiculate - decorate with wavy or winding lines smock - embellish by sewing in straight lines crossing each other diagonally; "The folk dancers wore smocked shirts" hang - decorate or furnish with something suspended; "Hang wallpaper" prank - dress or decorate showily or gaudily; "Roses were pranking the lawn" tinsel - adorn with tinsel; "snow flakes tinseled the trees" tart up - decorate in a cheap and flashy way; "the small-town bar was all tarted up" stucco - decorate with stucco work; "stuccoed ceilings" redecorate - redo the decoration of an apartment or house panel - decorate with panels; "panel the walls with wood" bejewel, jewel - adorn or decorate with precious stones; "jeweled dresses" filet, fillet - decorate with a lace of geometric designs scallop - decorate an edge with scallops; "the dress had a scalloped skirt" bedizen - decorate tastelessly dress ship - decorate a ship with flags garnish, trim, dress - decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods trim - decorate, as with ornaments; "trim the christmas tree"; "trim a shop window" bedeck, bedight, deck - decorate; "deck the halls with holly" festoon - decorate with strings of flowers; "The public buildings were festooned for the holiday" enamel - coat, inlay, or surface with enamel inlay - decorate the surface of by inserting wood, stone, and metal lacquer - coat with lacquer; "A lacquered box from China" begild, engild, gild - decorate with, or as if with, gold leaf or liquid gold illuminate - add embellishments and paintings to (medieval manuscripts) blazon, emblazon - decorate with heraldic arms emblazon, colour, color - decorate with colors; "color the walls with paint in warm tones" fringe - adorn with a fringe; "The weaver fringed the scarf" fret - decorate with an interlaced design landscape - embellish with plants; "Let's landscape the yard" ornament - be an ornament to; "stars ornamented the Christmas tree"
	2.	ornament - be an ornament to; "stars ornamented the Christmas tree" adorn, decorate, grace, ornament, embellish, beautify - make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.; "Decorate the room for the party"; "beautify yourself for the special day" deck, decorate, embellish, grace, adorn, beautify - be beautiful to look at; "Flowers adorned the tables everywhere"

ornament

noun

1. decoration, trimming, accessory, garnish, frill, festoon, trinket, bauble, flounce, gewgaw, knick-knack, furbelow, falderal Christmas tree ornaments

2. embellishment, trimming, decoration, embroidery, elaboration, adornment, ornamentation Her dress was plain and without ornament.

verb

1. decorate, trim, adorn, enhance, deck, array, dress up, enrich, brighten, garnish, gild, do up (informal), embellish, emblazon, festoon, bedeck, beautify, prettify, bedizen (archaic), engarland The Egyptians ornamented their mirrors with carved handles of ivory, gold, or wood.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

ornament

noun

Something that adorns:

adornment, decoration, embellishment, garnishment, garniture, ornamentation, trim, trimming.

verb

To furnish with decorations:

adorn, bedeck, deck (out), decorate, dress (up), embellish, garnish, trim.

Translations

حِلْيَّةٌزينَه، حِلْيَهمُزَيَّن

ornament

ornamentpyntpynteudsmykkeudsmykning

Ornament verzieren Zierleiste Zierrat

διάκοσμος διακοσμώ στολίδι

adorno ornamento

koristekoristellasomistaa

ornement décorer orner parer parure

ukras

díszdíszítéskarácsonyfadísz

skrautskreyta

ornamento ornare soprammobile decorazione

装飾品

장식품

dailės mažmožisdekoravimasgražus daiktelisišpuoštiornamentika

dekorēt, rotāt, greznotdekors, rotājumsornaments

ornament

ornament pynt utsmykking

ozdoba

ornamento ornato enfeite

мелизм орнамент

ornamentvyzdobiť

okrasokrasitev

prydnadssak

เครื่องประดับ

süs süslemesüslemek

đồ trang trí

装饰装饰品装饰物

ornament

A. [ˈɔːnəmənt] N (gen) → adorno m, ornamento m; (= vase etc) → objeto m de adorno, adorno m

B. [ˈɔːnəment] VT → adornar

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

ornament

[ˈɔː^rnəmənt] n

(in room) → ornement m
without ornament (= undecorated) → sans ornement

(= trinket) → bibelot m

ornament

(= decorative object) → Schmuckgegenstand m, → Verzierung f; (on mantelpiece etc) → Ziergegenstand m; (fig) → Zierde f (→ to +gen); his secretary is just an ornament → seine Sekretärin ist nur zur Verzierung or Dekoration da; she has the house full of ornaments → sie hat das Haus voller Nippes (pej) → or Ziergegenstände; altar ornaments (Eccl) → Altarschmuck m

no pl (= ornamentation) → Ornamente pl; (= decorative articles, on clothes etc) → Verzierungen pl, → Zierrat m (geh); by way of ornament, for ornament → zur Verzierung

(Mus) → Verzierung f, → Ornament nt

vt → verzieren; room → ausschmücken

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

ornament

[n ˈɔːnəmənt; vb ˈɔːnəˌmɛnt]

1. n (gen) → ornamento; (vase, figurine) → soprammobile m; (trinket) → ninnolo

2. vt → ornare, decorare

ornament

(ˈoːnəmənt) noun

something decorative, intended to make a room etc more beautiful. china ornaments.

(oːnəˈment) verb

to decorate. The church was richly ornamented.

ˌornamenˈtation noun

ˌornaˈmental (-ˈmen-) adjective

used for ornament. an ornamental pool in the garden.

ornament

→ حِلْيَّةٌ ornament ornament Ornament διάκοσμος adorno koriste ornement ukras decorazione 装飾品 장식품 ornament utsmykking ozdoba enfeite орнамент prydnadssak เครื่องประดับ süs đồ trang trí 装饰物

References in classic literature ?

STUDIES serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.

View in context

After admiring the pretty things, he took out a fine golden watch with a big chain, several handsome finger-rings, and an ornament of rubies to pin upon the breast of his shaggy shirt-bosom.

View in context

Tarzan's eyes had been upon the ornament, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

View in context

Not that all architectural ornament is to be neglected even in the rudest periods; but let our houses first be lined with beauty, where they come in contact with our lives, like the tenement of the shellfish, and not overlaid with it.

View in context

He wore no crown of any sort, and his only ornament was a broad, jewel-studded belt that encircled his fat little body.

View in context

"That is all very well," said one of the older foxes; "but I do not think you would have recommended us to dispense with our chief ornament if you had not happened to lose it yourself."

View in context

There was not an ornament, a weapon, or a garment among the lot.

View in context

The carved pearl-shell ornament that hung from nose to chin and impeded speech was purely ornamental, as were the holes in his ears mere utilities for carrying pipe and tobacco.

View in context

As the citizens in general are to eat at public tables in certain companies, and it is necessary that the walls should have bulwarks and towers in proper places and at proper distances, it is evident that it will be very necessary to have some of these in the towers; let the buildings for this purpose be made the ornaments of the walls.

View in context

And," she added, after hesitating a little, with a rising sob of mortification, "necklaces are quite usual now; and Madame Poincon, who was stricter in some things even than you are, used to wear ornaments. And Christians generally--surely there are women in heaven now who wore jewels." Celia was conscious of some mental strength when she really applied herself to argument.

View in context

With the exception of their ornaments all were naked.

View in context

A hunting-shirt of ruffled calico of bright dyes, or of ornamented leather, falls to his knee; below which, curiously fashioned legging, ornamented with strings, fringes, and a profusion of hawks' bells, reach to a costly pair of moccasons of the finest Indian fabric, richly embroidered with beads.