ornate

adjective

or·​nate ȯr-ˈnāt 

1

: marked by elaborate rhetoric (see rhetoric sense 2b) or florid (see florid sense 1a) style

He is clear and simple rather than ornate and pompous.

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

2

: elaborately or excessively decorated

an ornate mantle

an ornate townhouse

ornate chandeliers

ornately adverb

ornateness noun

Synonyms of ornate

• baroque
• decorated
• adorned
• extravagant
• ornamented
• gilded
• florid
• loud
• lacy
• overwrought
• gingerbread
• overdecorated

Examples of ornate in a Sentence

She doesn't like ornate jewelry.

an ornate gambling casino that is designed to look like an Italian palace

Recent Examples on the Web

Class and society constrain all, and Age of Innocence traps its characters in their gauzy and ornate world. —Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026

Villas and suites are decorated with ornate teak and rattan furnishings, and come with private pools and views overlooking tropical gardens, canals, and mountains. —Asia London Palomba, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026

The columns that will support the ballroom’s south colonnade have Corinthian capitals, the most ornate type of decorative top for a column. —Kevin D. Murphy, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026

The handshake with Xi in the ornate East Hall at the Great Hall of the People, a space normally used for meeting foreign heads of state, underscored the reversal in political beliefs for Cheng. —Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ornat, from Latin ornatus, past participle of ornare to furnish, embellish; akin to Latin ordo order — more at order

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ornate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

ornate

adjective

or·​nate ȯr-ˈnāt 

: decorated in a fancy way

ornately adverb

ornateness noun