adornment

noun

adorn·​ment ə-ˈdȯrn-mənt How to pronounce adornment (audio)
Synonyms of adornmentnext
1
: the action of adorning : the state of being adorned
2
: something that adorns

Examples of adornment in a Sentence

the adornment of the walls with her paintings Her room doesn't have any unnecessary adornments. The entrance to the building has little adornment.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With the single coil swaying over her face, the back bun was kept busy with a flower adornment pinned by stylist Luke Pluckrose. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 22 May 2026 The growing embrace of adornment in menswear also played a role in shaping the collection. Karin Eldor, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026 Flavorful heirloom tomatoes don't need much adornment to shine. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 7 May 2026 Sharp antennae point skyward as feathers of adornment. Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for adornment

Word History

Etymology

Middle English adornement, borrowed from Anglo-French aurnement, from aurner, adourner "to adorn" + -ment -ment

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of adornment was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Adornment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adornment. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

adornment

noun
adorn·​ment ə-ˈdȯrn-mənt How to pronounce adornment (audio)
1
: the action of adorning : the state of being adorned
2
: something that adorns

More from Merriam-Webster on adornment

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster