Ornamental
What it means
Made or chosen to add beauty.
Reach for it when describing something chosen mainly to add visual beauty
Ornamental grasses brought movement and color to the winter garden.
Words to choose between 6
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| professional |
|
| formal | |
| literary |
-
playful
showy
Fits when conspicuous visual display is intended
Careful Showy often carries criticism.
-
everyday
Fits when the object's beautifying role is plain
Careful Decorative can still have a practical function.
-
professional
Fits when visual or artistic considerations lead
Careful Aesthetic is broader and often misused as a synonym for attractive.
-
professional
embellished
Fits when extra detail enriches a base form
Careful Embellishment can become excessive.
-
formal
adorned
Fits when decoration has been applied to an object
Careful Adorned describes condition, not purpose.
-
literary
florid
Fits when elaborate decoration is intentionally profuse
Careful Florid suggests excess and also describes prose.
Opposites 3
- functional
- utilitarian
- plain
Common phrases 3
-
ornamental grasses
Ornamental grasses brought movement to the winter garden.
-
ornamental feature
The arch is an ornamental feature rather than a support.
-
purely ornamental
The brass latch was purely ornamental and did not secure the door.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Ornamental identifies purpose, not ecological value, durability, or lack of function.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated