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ornamental, a. (n.)|ɔːnəˈmɛntəl|
[f. L. ornāment-um ornament + -al1.]
A. adj.
a. Of the nature of an ornament, serving as an ornament or decoration; adding beauty and attractiveness; decorative.
1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. To Rdr. a vj, Digressions, Corollaries, or ornamentall conceptions. 1664H. More Myst. Iniq. 257 The ornamental Pompousness in Idolatry. 1701Rowe Amb. Step-moth. Ded., Men..Useful and Ornamental to the Age they live in. 1703T. N. City & C. Purchaser 54 By the word Ornamental work, is to be under⁓stood in Bricklayers Work; all kind of Brick-work, that is hewed with an Ax, or rubbed on a Rubbing-stone, or of Stone wrought with Chissels, or rubbed with Stones, or Cards. 1796C. Marshall Garden. xix. (1813) 319 These ornamental trees are proper to plant at the back of shrubberies. 1855London as it is to-day 112 A large piece of ornamental water. 1876J. Saunders Lion in Path vi, The male dress of the time, is more or less ornamental. Mod. It may be useful, it certainly is not ornamental.
b. ornamental-leaved adj.
1870B. S. Williams (title) Choice stove and green⁓house ornamental-leaved plants. 1952A. G. L. Hellyer Sanders' Encycl. Gardening (ed. 22) 122 Ornamental-leaved kinds [of coleus] require to have points of their shoots pinched off in early stage of their growth to ensure dwarf or well-shaped plants.
B. n.
1. pl. Things that are ornamental; adornments, embellishments, as opposed to essentials.
1650H. Brooke Conserv. Health 240 The other two are Ornamentals that adde to its perfection but not to its essence. 1659Gauden Tears Church i. xi. 86 Seeking to deface the Pinnacles and Ornamentalls of Religion, but not capable to shake the foundations of it. 1761Ann. Reg. 242 On the table between each service was placed near 100 cold ornamentals. 1863S. L. J. Life in South II. ii. 63 French, music and the ornamentals.
2. A tree or shrub grown for the sake of its attractive appearance.
1903Pop. Sci. Monthly Jan. 277 It could be done more easily with strawberries, or with some of the common ornamentals that do not reproduce true to seed. 1972House & Garden Feb. 24/2 When planting ornamentals, plant fruit trees and bushes too.
Hence ornamenˈtality, condition of being ornamental; concr. that which is ornamental; ornaˈmentalize v., to make ornamental; ornaˈmentalness (Bailey, vol. II. 1727).
1842Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 152 Her picture..looks very fine indeed in its gilt ornamentality. 1865Carlyle Fredk. Gt. iii. xix. (1872) I. 263 This doubled wish..first set the poor man thinking of expensive ornamentalities. 1892L. F. Day Nature in Ornament v. 76 Such undergrowth must be ornamentalised accordingly. |