ornate

adjective

or·​nate ȯr-ˈnāt How to pronounce ornate (audio)
1
: marked by elaborate rhetoric (see rhetoric sense 2b) or florid (see florid sense 1a) style
is clear and simple rather than ornate and pompousThe Times Literary Supplement (London)
2
: elaborately or excessively decorated
an ornate mantle
an ornate townhouse
ornate chandeliers
ornately adverb
ornateness noun

Examples of ornate in a Sentence

She doesn't like ornate jewelry. an ornate gambling casino that is designed to look like an Italian palace
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Without ornate defensive features or the huge size of its fellow dinosaurs, Fona likely had to rely on speed, agility and alertness to best its predators. Scott Travers, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025 For a less ornate option, the Container Store stocks an especially convenient acrylic jewelry wall rack with 11 pegs. Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 2 Jan. 2025 Within the ornate chambers of Shafak’s psyche, a remarkable drama unfolds. Fidan Cheikosman, JSTOR Daily, 1 Jan. 2025 Davies wanted to balance the traditional ornate Rome with Brutalist and Fascist architecture, particularly as no one actually knows what the Casa Santa Marta looks like. Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for ornate 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ornat, from Latin ornatus, past participle of ornare to furnish, embellish; akin to Latin ordo order — more at order

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ornate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near ornate

Cite this Entry

“Ornate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ornate. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

ornate

adjective
or·​nate ȯr-ˈnāt How to pronounce ornate (audio)
: decorated in a fancy way
ornately adverb
ornateness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ornate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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