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ornamental

ornamental

13 4.0
Made to look attractive rather than useful
  • adjective
  • /ˌɔrnəˈmɛntəl/
: ornamental
  • The long walls were lined with ornamental trees surrounded by polished wooden benches.
  • ornamental plants
  • ornamental fountains
  • ornamental trees

Anyway, Japanese maples in our area are more ornamental sort of shrubs.

Examples

  • The garden was filled with ornamental flowers that added beauty to the landscape.

  • In most cultures, a king is set apart from the plebeians with an ornamental headdress.

  • We are to have an ornamental lake.

  • With the top floor an ornamental terrace.

  • ''Variations in the design are to be ornamental rather than essential.''

  • But are such features merely ornamental, serving no useful purpose beyond sexual attraction?

    Academic text (2001)
  • Ornamental iron fences are rusted, and ornamental trees stand unpruned, while hedges are overgrown.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • She decorated her home with ornamental vases and sculptures that showcased her artistic taste.

  • The restaurant featured ornamental lighting that created a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Synonyms

cosmetic
vsornamental
89 4.4

That changes how something looks but not how it works

serves an aesthetic purpose instead of practical effect
decorative
vsornamental
48 3.9

To make something look attractive rather than to be useful

is used for looking pleasing rather than practical purposes
aesthetical
vsornamental
1 7.2

About beauty and good taste

applies to things made to please visually rather than for use
esthetical
vsornamental
  • US
7.3

About the beauty or good taste of something

focuses on being decorative or pleasing rather than on aesthetic theory

Antonyms

17 6.3

Having a simple practical design that is useful rather than attractive

3 3.9

Almost completely in that state for most purposes

How Decorative

ornate
  • Literature
25 7.0
fancy
678 2.7
ornamental
13 4.0
decorative
48 3.9
plain
180 1.0

Surface Forms

ornamental positive

Morphology

ornamental = ornament (transparent) = ornament + al

The meaning is directly built from 'ornament' plus the adjective-forming suffix '-al', yielding 'decorative' or 'for decoration'.

Etymology

Ornamental comes from the Latin word ornare, which means 'to decorate' or 'to equip' and is the same root as ornament and ornate. So, something described as ornamental is put there mainly to look nice rather than to do a practical job.