or·na·men·tal
ˌȯr-nə-ˈmen-tᵊl 
: of, relating to, or serving as ornament
specifically
: grown as an ornamental
: a decorative object
especially
: a plant cultivated for its beauty rather than for use
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
Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Established well over a century ago, this public park allows visitors to marvel at a wealth of ornate statues crafted by Galician artists, while budding botanists can bask in the beauty of its many ornamental plant species.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2025
Multipurpose nasturtiums can be grown for their edible flowers and leaves, or enjoyed as pollinator-friendly ornamentals.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ornamental
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Adjective
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District officials suspect someone has been deliberately igniting ornamental trees and plants after weeks of numerous reports of suspicious fires across Carmichael, Metro Fire officials said in a Monday news release.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Established well over a century ago, this public park allows visitors to marvel at a wealth of ornate statues crafted by Galician artists, while budding botanists can bask in the beauty of its many ornamental plant species.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
Companion plants for ornamentals such as hydrangeas are selected for aesthetic purposes.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2025
Multipurpose nasturtiums can be grown for their edible flowers and leaves, or enjoyed as pollinator-friendly ornamentals.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ornamental
Cite this Entry
“Ornamental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ornamental. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ornamental
1 of 2 adjective
or·na·men·tal
ˌȯr-nə-ˈment-ᵊl
: of, relating to, or serving as ornament
ornamental
2 of 2 noun
: a decorative object
especially
: a plant cultivated for its beauty rather than for use
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