Ornate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ȯr-ˈnāt/ or·nate

Meaning & Definition of Ornate

Ornate (adjective)

  1. marked by elaborate rhetoric or florid style
  2. elaborately or excessively decorated

Ornate (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. elaborately and often excessively decorated

    "an ornate gambling casino that is designed to look like an Italian palace"

    similar: bedizened, florid, fussy, gingerbread, gingerbreaded, gingerbready, overdecorated, overwrought
    related: arabesque, baroque, rococo, extravagant, flamboyant, spectacular, splashy, bedaubed, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud, ostentatious, pretentious, showy, swank, tawdry, elaborate, extreme, adorned, arrayed, beautified, bedecked, decked, decorated, dressed, embellished, enriched, garnished, ornamented, trimmed, flowery, frilly, lacy, enhanced, heightened, intensified, bejeweled, bossed, chased, emblazoned, embossed, embroidered, flounced, fringed, garlanded, gilded, laced, sequined, wreathed
    opposite: austere, plain, severe, stark, unadorned
    near: bare, denuded, exposed, naked, stripped, uncovered, modest, simple, unassuming, unpretentious, conservative, muted, quiet, restrained, subdued, tasteful, toned-down, understated, unobtrusive

  2. full of fine words and fancy expressions

    "the ornate prose that was standard in all diplomatic correspondence in those days"

    similar: aureate, florid, flowery, grandiloquent, high-flown, high-sounding, highfalutin, magnific, purple, rhetorical
    related: affected, bloated, fancy-pants, grandiose, inflated, pompous, pretentious, stilted, excessive, flattering, fulsome, boastful, bombastic, elevated, eloquent, lofty, bookish, inkhorn, learned
    near: prosaic, unpoetic, bald, direct, lean, matter-of-fact, plain, plainspoken, simple, spare, stark, straightforward, unadorned, natural, unaffected, unpretentious

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ornate

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ornate:

bedizened, florid, fussy, gingerbread, gingerbreaded, gingerbready, overdecorated, overwrought, aureate, flowery, grandiloquent, high-flown, high-sounding, highfalutin, magnific, purple, rhetorical

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Ornate

Words with the opposite meaning of Ornate:

austere, plain, severe, stark, unadorned

Related Words for Ornate

arabesque, baroque, rococo, extravagant, flamboyant, spectacular, splashy, bedaubed, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud, ostentatious, pretentious, showy, swank, tawdry, elaborate, extreme, adorned, arrayed, beautified, bedecked, decked, decorated, dressed, embellished, enriched, garnished

Near Antonyms of Ornate

bare, denuded, exposed, naked, stripped, uncovered, modest, simple, unassuming, unpretentious, conservative, muted, quiet, restrained, subdued, tasteful, toned-down, understated, unobtrusive, prosaic, unpoetic, bald, direct, lean, matter-of-fact, plainspoken, spare, straightforward, natural, unaffected

Word Forms of Ornate

Derived words: ornately (adverb), ornateness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Ornate

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

First known use: 15th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Ornate

What does "Ornate" mean?

"Ornate" means marked by elaborate rhetoric or florid style. As an adjective, it is defined as: marked by elaborate rhetoric or florid style. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Ornate"?

Other words for "Ornate" include bedizened, florid, fussy, gingerbread, gingerbreaded, gingerbready, overdecorated and overwrought. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ornate" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ornate"?

There are 85 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ornate". Common alternatives include bedizened, florid, fussy, gingerbread, gingerbreaded, gingerbready, overdecorated, overwrought, aureate and flowery.

What is the opposite of "Ornate"?

Antonyms of "Ornate" include austere, plain, severe, stark and unadorned. Near antonyms include bare, denuded, exposed and naked.

How do you use "Ornate" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ornate" in a sentence: "an ornate gambling casino that is designed to look like an Italian palace"; "the ornate prose that was standard in all diplomatic correspondence in those days".

Is "Ornate" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ornate" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Ornate"?

"Ornate" is pronounced /ȯr-ˈnāt/ and divided into syllables as or·nate.

What is the origin of the word "Ornate"?

"Ornate" comes from Middle English ornat, from Latin ornatus, past participle of ornare to furnish, embellish; akin to Latin ordo order order. First known use: 15th century.