1
: marked by elaborate rhetoric (see rhetoric sense 2b) or florid (see florid sense 1a) style
is clear and simple rather than ornate and pompous—
The Times Literary Supplement (London)
The Times Literary Supplement (London)2
: elaborately or excessively decorated
an ornate mantle
an ornate townhouse
ornate chandeliers
ornately
adverb
ornateness
noun
Examples of ornate in a Sentence
She doesn't like ornate jewelry.
an ornate gambling casino that is designed to look like an Italian palace
Recent Examples on the Web
Another look Gaga styled during her performance featured the singer in a red garment with an asymmetric hemline and ornate embroidery at the neckline, cuffs of the sleeves and at the hemline as well.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 2 June 2025
The ornate swimming pool, complete with a small hydrotherapy area, is reminiscent of a traditional Roman bathhouse.
—William Curtis, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2025
If chocolate is more your kind of souvenir, head to the 98-year-old Parkside Candy, a landmark-of-a-shop, lined with ornate ceiling trim and glass display cases full of handcrafted chocolates, located just north of Delaware Park.
—David Allan, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
Notre-Dame de la Garde, the basilica that towers over Marseille with its golden Madonna, has an ornate Byzantine interior and panoramic views of the city.
—Lily Radziemski, New York Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ornate
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Julia Teti, Footwear News, 2 June 2025
The ornate swimming pool, complete with a small hydrotherapy area, is reminiscent of a traditional Roman bathhouse.
—William Curtis, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2025
If chocolate is more your kind of souvenir, head to the 98-year-old Parkside Candy, a landmark-of-a-shop, lined with ornate ceiling trim and glass display cases full of handcrafted chocolates, located just north of Delaware Park.
—David Allan, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
Notre-Dame de la Garde, the basilica that towers over Marseille with its golden Madonna, has an ornate Byzantine interior and panoramic views of the city.
—Lily Radziemski, New York Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ornate
Cite this Entry
“Ornate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ornate. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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