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

Hadid shared a few behind-the-scenes snippets from a recent Miss Sixty campaign photoshoot in what appears to be a gorgeous seaside home or hotel, resplendent with ornate antique furniture. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 6 Apr. 2026

One of my core memories as a kid is my mom taking me to the ballet at Christmas as a treat and going into this crazy opera house where everything’s just so ornate and the seats are all velvety and gorgeous. —Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2026

In contrast to the ornate florals, these rugs offer character and depth to a room without demanding to be the focal point. —Cori Sears, The Spruce, 3 Apr. 2026

As for the ornate headwear, seersucker suits, and profusion of pastels that usually accompany this horse race, well, that’s your call. —Devra Ferst, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 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