ornament
A small and pretty object used to make a room or thing look more attractive. It is usually kept on a shelf, a table, or a Christmas tree for decoration.
Examples
3 of 5I put a small glass ornament on my desk.
I placed a little glass decoration on my table.
The museum displays many gold ornaments from the past.
The museum shows many gold decorative items from history.
Look at this cute cat ornament I got!
Look at this lovely cat figure I bought!
Synonyms
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of the 'OR' at the start of ORnament and ORange. Imagine a bright orange decoration on your shelf.
Quick Quiz
She bought a beautiful silver ____ for the living room shelf.
Correct!
The correct answer is: ornament
Examples
I put a small glass ornament on my desk.
everydayI placed a little glass decoration on my table.
The museum displays many gold ornaments from the past.
formalThe museum shows many gold decorative items from history.
Look at this cute cat ornament I got!
informalLook at this lovely cat figure I bought!
The study examines the role of the ornament in modern design.
academicThe research looks at how decorations are used in modern styles.
Our company produces high-quality garden ornaments.
businessOur business makes very good decorations for the garden.
Synonyms
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
just for ornament
Used only for looking pretty, not for use
Christmas tree ornament
A specific hanging decoration for the holidays
hood ornament
A decorative symbol on the front of a car
Often Confused With
Decoration is a general term for making something look better; an ornament is usually one specific small object.
Jewelry is worn on the body; ornaments are used for rooms, buildings, or trees.
Usage Notes
Use this word to describe small, non-essential objects in a house that are there just to look nice. It is a countable noun.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes use 'ornament' to describe jewelry, but 'ornament' is mostly for objects in a house or on a building.
Memory Tip
Think of the 'OR' at the start of ORnament and ORange. Imagine a bright orange decoration on your shelf.
Word Origin
From the Latin word 'ornamentum', which means equipment, embellishment, or jewel.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
In the UK and USA, people spend a lot of time choosing and hanging ornaments on their trees during Christmas.
Quick Quiz
She bought a beautiful silver ____ for the living room shelf.
Correct!
The correct answer is: ornament
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