Dictionary

ornate en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɔɹˈneɪt/ (US)

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin ōrnātus, perfect passive participle of ōrnō (“to equip, adorn”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix). Doublet of orné.

Meanings

1. Elaborately ornamented, often to excess.
   • The house of Ruthven was a small but ultra-modern limestone affair, between Madison and Fifth ;[…]. As a matter of fact its narrow ornate façade presented not a single quiet space that the eyes might rest on after a tiring attempt to follow and codify the arabesques, foliations, and intricate vermiculations of what some disrespectfully dubbed as “near-aissance.” 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter V, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
2. Flashy, flowery or showy.
3. Finely finished, as a style of composition.
   • a graceful and ornate rhetoric [1644], [John Milton], Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib, [London]: […] [Thomas Underhill and/or Thomas Johnson], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

ornate aphid · overornate · ornate hawk-eagle · ornate shrew · inornate · ornateness · ornate rainbowfish · ornate horned toad · unornate · ornate tinamou

Relateds

ornament

Synonyms

fancy

Translations (16)

nl barok (elaborately ornamented, often to excess) · eo ornamita (elaborately ornamented, often to excess) · fi koristeellinen (elaborately ornamented, often to excess) · mk на́труфен (elaborately ornamented, often to excess) · kw tegennek (flashy, flowery or showy) · de kunstvoll (elaborately ornamented, often to excess) · de reich verziert (elaborately ornamented, often to excess) · fi pramea (flashy, flowery or showy) · fi koristeltu (elaborately ornamented, often to excess) · bg натруфен (elaborately ornamented, often to excess) · kw afînus (flashy, flowery or showy) · nl sierlijk (elaborately ornamented, often to excess) · kw taclys (flashy, flowery or showy) · de ornamentreich (elaborately ornamented, often to excess) · nl bloemrijk (flashy, flowery or showy) · nl overladen (flashy, flowery or showy)

ornate en · VERB · etymology 2

Etymology

From Latin ōrnātus, perfect passive participle of ōrnō (“to equip, adorn”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare French orner.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) To adorn or honour (someone or something).
   • And truely thoſe that lyue in the feare of god, (conſydering that they ſerue not only their carnal maiſters, but God hymſelfe,) they be in a good caſe: but they may not bee eye ſeruauntes. […] Saincte Paule woulde haue them to lyue ſo, that they maye ornate and ſanctifye the name of God. 1552, Hughe Latymer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], Augustine Bernher, compiler, “The Second Sermon”, in Certayn Godly Sermons, Made uppon the Lords Prayer, […], London: […] John Day, […], published 1562, →OCLC, folio 13, verso:

Forms