Ornately
adv.joyful, thoughtfulliterary
What it means
With attractive and elaborate decorative detail.
Reach for it when describing something decorated with elaborate and intricate detail
The ceiling was ornately painted with flowers and small stars.
Choose between these
6- everyday
decoratively
the beautifying manner is all that matters
not when Decoratively says nothing about complexity.
- warm
depth and abundance create a pleasing effect
not when Richly is broad and impressionistic.
- professional
elaborately
complex detailed work is the main fact
not when Elaboration may be functional rather than decorative.
- professional
intricately
fine interwoven detail deserves emphasis
not when Intricacy need not be ornamental.
- formal
decoration is abundant and costly-looking
not when Lavishness can concern quantity rather than intricacy.
- literary
floridly
conspicuous decorative excess is intended
not when Floridly is often critical and can describe language.
Said against
3- plainly
- austerely
- simply
It naturally appears in
3- ornately carved
The lintel was ornately carved with leaves and birds.
- ornately painted
The ceiling was ornately painted with small gold stars.
- ornately decorated
An ornately decorated box held the family letters.
The word family
1Where this comes from
Ornately describes abundant detail and can be admiring or critical; elaborately may be more neutral.
- wiktionary, English adverb, in an ornate manner sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-27
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.