Basic Details
Word: Ornamental
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Used for decoration rather than for a practical purpose.
Synonyms: decorative, fancy, showy
Antonyms: functional, practical, plain
How to Spell Ornamental
Syllables: or - na - men - tal
Tricky part: The second vowel is a (orna), not i or e, so ornimental and ornemental are wrong. The ending is tal, not tle.
Watch out for: ornimental, ornemental, ornamentle
Memory tip: Ornament plus al. If you can spell ornament, like the gold work on a temple door, you only need to add al.
Usage Examples
Example 1: We planted ornamental grasses along the garden path.
Example 2: My grandmother's sari has an ornamental border of gold thread.
Example 3: The iron gate is only ornamental; it is never locked.
Fun Fact
Koi, the colourful ornamental carp kept in garden ponds, were first bred in Japan from ordinary carp.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Only one of these words takes the suffix al to make an adjective:
al
a) design
b) ornament
c) decorate
d) beauty
Show answer
b) ornament. Decorate becomes decorative and beauty becomes beautiful, but only ornament takes al.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
orn_me_tal
a) i, n
b) e, n
c) a, n
d) a, m
Show answer
c) a, n. Say orn-a-ment: an a follows orn, and the n of ment comes before tal.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. flamboyent 2. elabrate 3. intricite 4. ornamental
a) very detailed and complicated
b) having many carefully arranged parts
c) bright, showy and eager to be noticed
d) used to decorate rather than for use
Show answer
d) used to decorate rather than for use. Elaborate has an o before rate, intricate ends in cate and flamboyant ends in ant; ornamental is the only one spelt right.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. An ornamental plate on a wall is there mainly to ____.
a) keep out the rain
b) look attractive
c) hold hot food
d) measure the time
Show answer
b) look attractive
2. Which of these is most likely to be purely ornamental?
a) a bus at a bus stop
b) a glass bird on a shelf
c) a steel knife in a drawer
d) a pump in a well
Show answer
b) a glass bird on a shelf
