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
Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025
This year a typhoon and extreme heat dented the harvest, scrambling prices for kumquats and other ornamental plants associated with the holiday, known as Tet in Vietnam.
—Mike Ives, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2025
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Jan. 2025
These vertically growing junipers are used as privacy screens and backdrops for other ornamentals.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ornamental 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
For most ornamental plants, the zone classification of each plant represents a general consensus based on decades of growing experience.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025
This year a typhoon and extreme heat dented the harvest, scrambling prices for kumquats and other ornamental plants associated with the holiday, known as Tet in Vietnam.
—Mike Ives, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
While deicers are frequently necessary for safety reasons, these products can damage your plants, causing lawns and ornamentals to turn brown and die back.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Jan. 2025
These vertically growing junipers are used as privacy screens and backdrops for other ornamentals.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ornamental
Dictionary Entries Near ornamental
Cite this Entry
“Ornamental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ornamental. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share