ornate
gb/ɔɹnˈeɪt/ us/ɔɹnˈeɪt/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
C1
property
1
elaborately decorated with many details
Very decorated, with many details.
Usage pattern:
[something] is ornate; an ornate [thing]; ornate with [details/materials]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse with "ordinary"; "ornate" means highly decorated.
Synonyms
elaborate (Suggests complexity and careful work, not only decoration.)
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decorated (More general; may imply less richness than ornate.)
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embellished (Emphasizes extra added details.)
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ornamental (Highlights decoration rather than function.)
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intricate (Focuses on fine, complex detail; may not always imply decoration.)
Antonyms
plain (Simple and without decoration.)
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simple (Not complicated or heavily decorated.)
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unadorned (Without added decoration.)
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minimalist (Intentionally simple in style.)
Collocations
ornate frame
|ornate furniture
|ornate building
|ornate architecture
|ornate carvings
|ornate pattern
|ornate details
|ornate decoration
|ornate gate
|ornate ceiling
Themes
art_design
|architecture
|home
|fashion
Examples
- The hotel lobby has an ornate ceiling covered in gold leaf.
- She wore an ornate silver ring with tiny stones set into the band.
- The old wooden door was ornate, with carvings of flowers and birds.
Learner examples
- The table is ornate.
- The building has ornate doors.
adjective
C1
property
2
using flowery, complex language
Using too many fancy words or details.
Usage pattern:
ornate language; an ornate style; an ornate description
Common mistake:
"Ornate" often suggests that the style may feel too fancy or hard to read, unlike neutral "detailed."
Synonyms
flowery (Often more negative; suggests too many decorative words.)
|
florid (Strongly suggests overly elaborate or showy language.)
|
grandiloquent (Very formal term for pompous, overblown language.)
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elaborate (Can be neutral; not always overly decorative.)
Antonyms
straightforward (Clear and direct, without decoration.)
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plain (Simple language, easy to understand.)
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concise (Brief and to the point.)
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simple (Using basic words and structure.)
Collocations
ornate prose
|ornate style
|ornate language
|ornate description
|ornate rhetoric
|ornate vocabulary
|ornate phrasing
|ornate sentence
|ornate writing
|ornate speech
Themes
language
|writing
|communication
|arts
Examples
- The essay was so ornate that the main point got lost.
- He prefers clear, direct sentences and avoids ornate language.
- The novel’s ornate descriptions slow the pace of the story.
Learner examples
- The writing is ornate.
- He used ornate language.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ornate
IPA
GB/ɔɹnˈeɪt/
US/ɔɹnˈeɪt/
Syllables & stress
or - nate (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (nate)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: ornate
Word family
Core family
Related words
ornateness
noun
Advanced or less common
ornamentation
noun
ornamentally
adverb
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.