ornate

adjective

or·​nate ȯr-ˈnāt 

1

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

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

• baroque
• decorated
• extravagant
• adorned
• 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

All that prestige hype matches the film’s uniquely ornate theatrical rollout, which includes Imax and other premium large-formats. —J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025

Take for example, traditional architecture or historical design, where ornate fireplace murals and visually prominent walls were common in classical European homes. —Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2025

The white jacket coordinated with high-waist, wide-leg trousers, both of which featured a textural fabric with ornate embroidery. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2025

Several fans in the comments section gushed over the ornate look, including some celebrities. —Starr Bowenbank, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025

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