embellish
em·bel·lish
transitive verb \im-ˈbe-lish\Definition of EMBELLISH
1
: to make beautiful with ornamentation : decorate <a book embellished with illustrations>
2
: to heighten the attractiveness of by adding decorative or fanciful details : enhance <embellished our account of the trip>
— em·bel·lish·er noun
Examples of EMBELLISH
- a book embellished with colorful illustrations
- He embellished his speech with a few quotations.
Origin of EMBELLISH
Middle English, from Anglo-French embeliss-, stem of embelir, from en- + bel beautiful — more at beauty
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to EMBELLISH
- Synonyms
- color, elaborate (on), embroider, exaggerate, hyperbolize, magnify, pad, stretch
See Synonym Discussion at adorn
Rhymes with EMBELLISH
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