ornate

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɔɹˈneɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #40135

Meanings

1

adj
Decorated with a lot of complicated detail, sometimes too much.

The palace had an ornate ceiling covered in gold carvings.
2

adj
Using elaborate, flowery language or style.

His ornate writing style was admired by some and mocked by others.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · decorated with a lot of... fancy

2 adj · using elaborate, flowery... flowery

Word family

Derived forms inornate ornatenessoverornateunornate

Related forms ornament

Etymology

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

*h₂er- Proto-Indo-European ōrnātus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# ornate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɔɹˈneɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 40135

## Meanings
1. Decorated with a lot of complicated detail, sometimes too much.
2. Using elaborate, flowery language or style.

## Examples
- The palace had an ornate ceiling covered in gold carvings.
- His ornate writing style was admired by some and mocked by others.

## Derived Forms
- inornate
- ornateness
- overornate
- unornate

## Related Forms
- ornament

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂er-
- Root: ōrnātus

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

## AI Etymology
Ornate is a learned borrowing from Latin ōrnātus, perfect passive participle of ōrnō (“to equip, adorn”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix). Doublet of orné. Important recorded forms include *h₂er- (Proto-Indo-European) and ōrnātus (Latin). Current senses include decorated with a lot of complicated detail, sometimes too much and using elaborate, flowery language or style. The wider family includes derived forms such as inornate, ornateness, overornate, and unornate; related words such as ornament.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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