adj C1 Advanced Uncommon

ornamental

aw-nuh-MEHN-tuhl

Ornamental (adj) means serving as decoration rather than having any practical use. Example: “The fountain is purely ornamental.”

adj

Serving as decoration rather than having any practical use.

"The fountain is purely ornamental."

noun

A plant grown for its appearance rather than for food or other use.

"The garden is full of flowering ornamentals."

How to use ornamental

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDecorative rather than functional.

Common pairings

ornamental garden purely ornamental ornamental plants

more ornamental comparative, ornamentals plural, most ornamental superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

The fountain is purely _____.

From ornament + -al.

mental dental rental parental Oriental elemental accidental judgmental incidental monumental regimental incremental

What does “ornamental” mean?

The word “ornamental” means serving as decoration rather than having any practical use. In plain terms, decorative rather than functional.

How do you pronounce “ornamental”?

“Ornamental” is pronounced aw-nuh-MEHN-tuhl (/ˌɔɹ.nəˈmɛn.təl/ in IPA).

How do you use “ornamental” in a sentence?

Here is “ornamental” used in a sentence: “The fountain is purely ornamental.”

What part of speech is “ornamental”?

Depending on how it is used, “ornamental” can be an adjective and a noun.

Is “ornamental” a common word?

“Ornamental” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

How many meanings does “ornamental” have?

“Ornamental” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: serving as decoration rather than having any practical use.