ornamentation
noun
or·na·men·ta·tion
ˌȯr-nə-mən-ˈtā-shən 
-ˌmen-
1
: something that ornaments : embellishment
2
: the act or process of ornamenting : the state of being ornamented
Synonyms
Examples of ornamentation in a Sentence
A bright ribbon was used for ornamentation.
a ballroom with elaborate ornamentation
Recent Examples on the Web
Meanwhile, men’s clothing was increasingly associated with tailoring and muted colors and women’s with ornamentation.
—
Alice Robb, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2023
At present, the château shows off elements that date to its medieval origins as well as French Renaissance ornamentation.
—Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
Such is the case for these Halloween lovers, whose ornamentations prompted intervention from the authorities.
—Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 31 Oct. 2023
With the rise of suburban single-family homes and condominium buildings with little ornamentation, homeowners turned to paint as a way to define open-plan living and personalize neutral spaces.
—Kristen Hartke, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2023
In designing the custom house, Michael Barclay of Barclay Home Design in Clackamas was guided by the horizontal planes, wide eaves and stylized, restrained ornamentation of the Prairie style made famous by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who connected natural elements in homes to their environment.
—Jeastman, oregonlive, 14 Sep. 2023
For generations, most archaeologists were principally interested in the temple’s epic architecture and the official ornamentation on its walls, which include intricate reliefs of gods and goddesses carved by skilled artisans.
—Amy Crawford, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023
Um usually takes inspiration from ornamentation motifs of traditional patterns of cultural rugs.
—Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023
The interior has been lovingly restored too, with modern lighting and sound upgrades mostly concealed and the ceiling’s sunburst ornamentation shining in its full glory.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023
See More
Alice Robb, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2023
At present, the château shows off elements that date to its medieval origins as well as French Renaissance ornamentation.
—Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
Such is the case for these Halloween lovers, whose ornamentations prompted intervention from the authorities.
—Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 31 Oct. 2023
With the rise of suburban single-family homes and condominium buildings with little ornamentation, homeowners turned to paint as a way to define open-plan living and personalize neutral spaces.
—Kristen Hartke, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2023
In designing the custom house, Michael Barclay of Barclay Home Design in Clackamas was guided by the horizontal planes, wide eaves and stylized, restrained ornamentation of the Prairie style made famous by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who connected natural elements in homes to their environment.
—Jeastman, oregonlive, 14 Sep. 2023
For generations, most archaeologists were principally interested in the temple’s epic architecture and the official ornamentation on its walls, which include intricate reliefs of gods and goddesses carved by skilled artisans.
—Amy Crawford, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023
Um usually takes inspiration from ornamentation motifs of traditional patterns of cultural rugs.
—Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023
The interior has been lovingly restored too, with modern lighting and sound upgrades mostly concealed and the ceiling’s sunburst ornamentation shining in its full glory.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ornamentation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near ornamentation
Cite this Entry
“Ornamentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ornamentation. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
More from Merriam-Webster on ornamentation
Nglish: Translation of ornamentation for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ornamentation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share