ornamental

adjective

Save Word

or·na·men·tal | \ ˌȯr-nə-ˈmen-tᵊl

Definition of ornamental

(Entry 1 of 2)

: of, relating to, or serving as ornament specifically : grown as an ornamental

ornamental

noun

Definition of ornamental (Entry 2 of 2)

: a decorative object especially : a plant cultivated for its beauty rather than for use

Other Words from ornamental Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More About ornamental

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms & Antonyms for ornamental

Synonyms: Adjective

Synonyms: Noun

Antonyms: Adjective

Examples of ornamental in a Sentence

Adjective The garden has many ornamental shrubs. the trim on Victorian houses is sometimes elaborately ornamental Noun The garden has many beautiful ornamentals. a collection of fragile ornamentals kept in a glass cabinet

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Mums, kale, gourds, ornamental corn, corn stalks, straw bales and planters available. — Kori Rumore, chicagotribune.com, 15 Oct. 2021 From the title track onward, her singing is gently piped into the crevices of these fancy productions, like ornamental frosting on specialty desserts. — Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2021 Ray photographed Marjorie tweaking a woman’s nipples with pliers; in another photo, Marjorie sports an ornamental collar that immobilized her neck. — Jeremy Lybarger, The New Republic, 7 Oct. 2021 O’Keeffe created vivid works inspired by flora such as hibiscus, wild ginger, pink ornamental banana, sweeping ocean views, and lush landscapes. — Natasha Gural, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2021 The only signs of the blast was slight damage to the ornamental arch by the entrance gate. — BostonGlobe.com, 3 Oct. 2021 Alliums, also known as ornamental onions, are flowers with a spherical bulb at the end of their stems. — Katarina Avendano, Good Housekeeping, 1 Oct. 2021 Olson found ornamental agaves in the parking lot and told us about the plant’s multiple uses besides tequila, including making soap, paper and rope and treating wounds, burns and skin infections. — Brian E. Clark, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2021 Following her tragic death in a 1997 car crash, she was buried on an island at the center of an ornamental lake known as The Round Oval within Althorp Park's Pleasure Garden. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 30 Sep. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The only species that was unmolested was Japanese maple, an exotic ornamental that came to represent one-quarter of the forest’s inventory. — Washington Post, 7 July 2021 An unnamed elephant ear is most likely to be Colocasia esculenta, the food plant taro, which also makes an impressive ornamental. — Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 17 May 2021 This looks like Parney cotoneaster (Cotoneaster lacteus), a native of China used as an ornamental. — oregonlive, 27 Dec. 2020 Deep green, textured foliage makes this variety an excellent ornamental for arbors or training against a wall. — Earl Nickel, SFChronicle.com, 7 Aug. 2020 Fruit pruning doesn’t follow the rules for ornamentals. — Margaret Roach, New York Times, 5 May 2020 Forsythia shrubs are beginning to provide a golden display in Northern Ohio, Pieras is in full flower and other ornamentals seem prepared to bloom at the first sign of warm weather. — cleveland, 27 Mar. 2020 While often admired as simply lovely garden ornamentals, sunflowers actually have an amazing variety of uses. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, 11 Apr. 2017 Women’s Club Bare Root Sale: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Select from fruit trees, flowering and weeping ornamentals. — oregonlive, 6 Mar. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ornamental.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.