Ornate
adj.joyful, thoughtfulliterary
What it means
Richly decorated with many carefully worked details.
Reach for it when describing elaborate visual beauty rather than simple elegance
An ornate iron screen cast leaf-shaped shadows across the hall.
Choose between these
6- everyday
the element adds visual interest
not when Decorative does not imply rich detail.
- professional
baroque
a specifically elaborate style is intended
not when Baroque should not label every ornate design.
- professional
embellished
details were added to a plain base
not when Embellished can imply unnecessary additions.
- formal
complex workmanship is the main feature
not when Elaborate can describe an undecorated plan.
- formal
intricate
small interrelated details show complexity
not when Intricate work may be plain in style.
- literary
luxurious materials create the impression
not when Sumptuous stresses richness rather than pattern.
Said against
3- plain
- austere
- unadorned
It naturally appears in
3- ornate carving
An ornate carving of vines framed the doorway.
- ornate detail
One ornate detail repeated the river motif from the ceiling.
- ornate pattern
The ornate pattern became clear after soot was removed.
The word family
1Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English adjective sense: elaborately decorated opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.