or·na·men·tal
ˌȯr-nə-ˈmen-tᵊl 
: of, relating to, or serving as ornament
specifically
: grown as an ornamental
: a decorative object
especially
: a plant cultivated for its beauty rather than for use
Synonyms
Examples of ornamental in a Sentence
Adjective
The garden has many ornamental shrubs.
the trim on Victorian houses is sometimes elaborately ornamental
Noun
The garden has many beautiful ornamentals.
a collection of fragile ornamentals kept in a glass cabinet
Recent Examples on the Web
Jane Pauley, CBS News, 19 May 2024
With a height and spread of 25 feet, saucer magnolia is ideal for small spaces and, for strictly ornamental purposes, may be grown up a trellis on the facade of a house or other structure.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 18 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for ornamental 
Adjective
Here you are welcomed to an ornamental tunnel, a network of suns brought together through simple elegance to achieve depth.
—Jane Pauley, CBS News, 19 May 2024
With a height and spread of 25 feet, saucer magnolia is ideal for small spaces and, for strictly ornamental purposes, may be grown up a trellis on the facade of a house or other structure.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 18 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for ornamental
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ornamental.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ornamental
Cite this Entry
“Ornamental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ornamental. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ornamental
1 of 2 adjective
or·na·men·tal
ˌȯr-nə-ˈment-ᵊl
: of, relating to, or serving as ornament
ornamental
2 of 2 noun
: a decorative object
especially
: a plant cultivated for its beauty rather than for use
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