ornament

The word "ornament" refers to something that adds beauty or decorative detail to an object, place, person, or even a piece of writing. Many people first think of holiday decorations, such as glass balls on a Christmas tree, but the meaning is much broader than that.

An ornament can be a physical object, such as a figure, ribbon, jewel, carving, or other decorative piece. It can also be a detail that is part of something larger, like the carved stonework on a church, the pattern around a mirror, or the flowers that ornament a garden. In all of these cases, the ornament adds visual interest and makes the whole thing more attractive.

But "ornament" is not limited to physical objects. It can also refer to something that adds beauty to style, language, or music. A writer might ornament a passage with vivid imagery. A speaker might ornament a story with colorful details. In music, a performer may ornament a melody by adding extra notes, a practice called ornamentation.

Historically, ornaments often showed wealth, taste, or skill because they displayed careful work and artistic design. Today, they can be anything from a simple ribbon on a gift to an elaborate piece of art or architecture.

So whether it appears on a holiday tree, in a building, in clothing, in writing, or in music, an ornament is something added mainly to make something more beautiful, interesting, or graceful. As a noun, it names the decorative thing itself. As a verb, it means to decorate or beautify.