ornamentally
- adverb
- /ɔːrˈnæmentəli/
- The cursive form was often used ornamentally for various types of certificates and diplomas.
- used ornamentally
Examples
-
Rather than kissing, they talked at great length, and on the Prince's side, very ornamentally.
Fiction book (1997) -
And you plant it with cloves, stick cloves in it ornamentally if you can, which I mostly try to do.
-
The shops are faced with a broad fretwork richly gilded, and the long perpendicular signs are ornamentally lettered with large black characters.
Blog text (22) -
In Jacobello del Fiore's 1421 Justice Triptych (Accademia, Venice), inscriptions appear on ornamentally curving banderoles.
Academic text (1998) -
This flower is often used ornamentally in gardens due to its vibrant colors.
-
The vase was designed ornamentally, featuring intricate patterns that enhanced its beauty.
-
In the ballroom, the walls were decorated ornamentally with gilded moldings and elegant drapes.
Synonyms
In a way that changes how something looks but not how it works
To act in a way that attracts attention and impresses people
In a very decorated way with detailed designs like carved patterns or gold
In a showy way that has too many decorations and details
In a way that makes something look pretty
In a very fancy way with many decorations
In a way that is bright and attracts attention
In a way that is too bright and too decorated
In a decorated and stylish way
Antonyms
How Decorative
Surface Forms
Morphology
ornamentally = ornamental (transparent) = ornament + al + ly
The adverb is a regular -ly formation from the adjective 'ornamental', which is transparently derived from 'ornament' + -al.
Etymology
Ornamentally comes from the Latin verb ornare meaning 'to decorate', and shares its root with the words ornament and adorn. So to do something ornamentally is to do it 'for decoration' or 'in a decorative way' rather than for practical use.