Meaning & use
ornament
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Meanings
nouncountable
A small object or detail that is added to something to make it look more attractive.
Grammar: Countable: you can say an ornament, ornaments, or a few ornaments.
Patterns
- an ornament on something
- a Christmas ornament
- put/place an ornament on something
She hung a glass ornament on the Christmas tree.
The shelf was crowded with little ornaments from their travels.
A silver ornament shaped like a star sat on the mantelpiece.
noununcountable
Decoration added to a building, object, or piece of music to make it more beautiful.
Grammar: Uncountable when it means decoration in general, not one object.
Patterns
- for ornament
- as ornament
- ornament and function
The columns are there for ornament rather than support.
The composer added ornament to the melody in the final bars.
The gold leaf is purely for ornament.
nouncountableliterary
A person who is admired or respected mainly because they add honor or charm to a group or event.
Grammar: Often used in the pattern an ornament to something; slightly literary.
Patterns
- an ornament to something
She was an ornament to the profession.
He was an ornament to the small town where he lived.
verbtransitive
To decorate something by adding attractive details or objects to it.
Grammar: Takes an object: ornament the cake. Stress moves to the second syllable: /ˈɔːnəment/.
Patterns
- ornament something with something
- be ornamented with something
They ornamented the hall with paper flowers.
The manuscript is ornamented with gold and bright colors.
She ornamented the cake with tiny sugar pearls.
Word forms
| plural | ornaments |
|---|---|
| third person singular | ornaments |
| past tense | ornamented |
| past participle | ornamented |
| -ing form | ornamenting |
Common combinations
- Christmas ornament
- The children made a paper Christmas ornament for the tree.
- tree ornament
- A red tree ornament fell and broke.
- ornament on
- There was a small bird ornament on the handle.
- be ornamented with
- The dress was ornamented with tiny beads.
- for ornament
- The sword is for ornament, not for fighting.
Synonyms and how they differ
- decoration
- Use decoration for the general idea of making something look better; ornament is usually a small, separate object or a detailed addition.
- adornment
- Adornment is more literary and often means the act or result of decorating; ornament is the everyday word for a decorative object.
- trinket
- A trinket is a small, cheap ornament or piece of jewelry; ornament does not suggest low value.
Word family
- ornamental adjective
- Decorative rather than useful.
- ornamentation noun
- Decoration added to something, especially in architecture or music.
- ornamented adjective
- Decorated with attractive details.
Commonly confused: ornament or ornate?
ornament vs ornate
Ornate is an adjective meaning heavily decorated; ornament is a noun or verb. A room can be ornate, but you put an ornament on a shelf.
Practice
The vase was ______ with painted flowers.
Choose one answer.
The passive pattern be ornamented with something needs the past participle ornamented. Ornament is the base verb or noun, ornamental is an adjective that would need a noun after it, and ornamentation is a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ornament”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.