1 [countable] a small object that you keep in your house because it is beautiful rather than useful
a shelf covered with books and ornaments
china ornaments
2 [uncountable] decoration that is added to something
The building style is plain, with very little ornament.
for ornament
The coins were only ever used for ornament, not as currency.
Christmas ornaments
• Thieves stole all the silver and gold ornaments from the palace.
• The music building is a structure with simple but gracious ornament.
• The species is beautifully preserved, retaining something of its original lustre, and all the fine details of its ornament.
• When she moved, ornaments rattled.
• I have no use for second-hand books and unfashionable clothes and bits of ornament.
• Top weighting had to be achieved by the disposition of proportion, ornament and light.
• You see that the ornaments we are discussing are nothing if not arbitrary.
• I bought a new Christmas tree ornament - do you want to see it?
• Ugly ornaments don't deserve to exist.
or‧na‧ment2 /ˈɔːnəment $ ˈɔːr-/ verb
→ be ornamented with something
Examples from the Corpus
ornament
• To the left was a dinosaur of a stone pulpit, all arched and ornamented.
• Veins are often dark reddish brown and the blade somewhat ornamented by reddish brown irregular spots.
• The corners of the enclosure were ornamented by sculptured funerary lions devouring stags.
• He specialised in lead figures of which excellent examples are found at Powis Castle in Powys, ornamenting the spectacular hanging terraces.
• One in particular, about a metre high, pale lemon in colour, was ornamented with neo-classical bandings in blue and gold.