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

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.
Add on top a bottle design that, rather than falling into the cliché of having gem-like adornments, had Bulgari referencing its DNA with subtle sophistication via essential lines inspired by Roman columns and recalling a person’s neckline. Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 17 June 2025 Aimee Lou Wood Aimee Lou Wood wears a complicated shorts suit with Hue tights and floral adornments on her heels. Brendan Le, People.com, 6 May 2025 From facial structure to skin tone to cultural adornment, the series reclaims visibility and insists on inclusion in an industry that has long ignored it. Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025 Both were for the young, the inexperienced, and for people whose reality was dull enough and sturdy enough to make fantasy or imagination a desirable escape or a necessary adornment. Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 15 June 2025 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 10 Jul. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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