ornamental
/ˌɔː.nəˈmen.təl/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Ornamental means made or used to look attractive, not to be very useful. It describes things added for decoration.
- The garden has ornamental plants.
- She wore an ornamental brooch.
- Those pillars are ornamental, not structural.
noun
An ornamental is a plant or object grown or kept mainly for its beauty. It is used for decoration.
- Roses can be grown as ornamentals.
- The shop sells ornamentals for the home.
- This tree is a popular ornamental.
Adinary Nuance
Ornamental is closer to decoration than to usefulness. It often suggests something looks nice but does not do an important job. Use decorative for a more general, everyday word. Use ornamental when you want a slightly more formal or technical tone.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- trang trí
- Spanish
- decorativo
- Chinese
- 装饰性的
- Japanese
- 装飾用の
- Korean
- 장식용의
Etymology
Ornamental comes from Latin ornamentum, meaning 'decoration' or 'equipment'. It entered English through Old French in the late Middle Ages.
Common phrases
ornamental plantsornamental designornamental stoneornamental fish
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is ornamental a formal word?
- It is slightly formal. People often use decorative in everyday speech.
- What is the difference between ornamental and decorative?
- They are very close, but ornamental can sound more technical or specific.
- Can ornamental describe people?
- Usually no. It is mostly used for things, plants, or design.
- How do I use ornamental in a sentence?
- Say 'ornamental' before a noun, like 'ornamental plants' or 'ornamental glass'.