ornament

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Related terms 1.3.2 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Translations 1.5 External links

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

< Middle English ornament < Old French ornement < Latin ornamentum (“‘equipment, apparatus, furniture, trappings, adornment, embellishment’”) < ornare (“‘to equip, adorn’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

ornament (plural ornaments)

1. An element of decoration.
   • 1919: P. G. Wodehouse, My Man Jeeves

     ...I'm a bit short on brain myself; the old bean would appear to have been constructed more for ornament than for use

2. A Christmas tree decoration
3. (music) A musical flourish that are unnecessary to the overall melodic or harmonic line, but serve to decorate or "ornament" that line.

[edit] Related terms

• ornate
• ornamental
• ornamentation

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to ornament (third-person singular simple present ornaments, present participle ornamenting, simple past and past participle ornamented)

1. To decorate.

   We will ornament the windows with trim to make the room seem brighter.

2. To add to.

   The editor ornamented his plain writing, making it fancier but less clear.

[edit] Translations

[edit] External links

• ornament in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• ornament in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911