garnish

[ gahr-nish ]

verb (used with object)

1. to provide or supply with something ornamental; adorn; decorate:

   a free-standing wall whose lower reaches are garnished by hanging gardens.

   Synonyms: enhance, bedizen, bedeck, trim, beautify, ornament, embellish

2. to provide (a food) with something that adds flavor, decorative color, etc.:

   to garnish boiled potatoes with chopped parsley.

3. Law.
   1. to attach (as money due or property belonging to a debtor) by garnishment; garnishee:

      The court garnished his wages when he refused to pay child support.

   2. to summon in, so as to take part in litigation already pending between others.

noun

1. something placed around or on a food or in a beverage to add flavor, decorative color, etc.
2. adornment or decoration.

   Synonyms: garniture, ornament

3. Chiefly British. a fee formerly demanded of a new convict or worker by the warden, boss, or fellow prisoners or workers.

garnish

/ ˈɡɑːnɪʃ /

verb

1. to decorate; trim
2. to add something to (food) in order to improve its appearance or flavour
3. law
   1. to serve with notice of proceedings; warn
   2. to summon to proceedings already in progress
   3. to attach (a debt)
4. slang.
   to extort money from

noun

1. a decoration; trimming
2. something, such as parsley, added to a dish for its flavour or decorative effect
3. obsolete.
   a payment illegally extorted, as from a prisoner by his jailer

Derived Forms

• ˈgarnisher, noun

Other Words From

• garnish·a·ble adjective
• garnish·er noun
• over·garnish verb (used with object)
• re·garnish verb (used with object)
• under·garnish verb (used with object)
• un·garnished adjective
• well-garnished adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of garnish¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English garnishen, from Old French garniss- (extended stem of garnir, guarnir “to furnish,” from Germanic ); warn

Word History and Origins

Origin of garnish¹

C14: from Old French garnir to adorn, equip, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German warnōn to pay heed

Example Sentences

We learn that the character Nathaniel studied fine art and dreams of being "a hybrid, edgy, sexy kind of Brum town Basquiat with a garnish of Banksy", but is in fact stuck working in a call centre.

From BBC

Divide the lobster filling evenly among the hot dog buns and garnish with more chopped chives.

From Salon

Divide the lobster filling evenly among the hot dog buns and garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice and the chopped chives.

From Salon

Garnish with an orange wheel and/or lemon slice.

From Salon

Clean and dry strawberries, saving a few to use for garnish.

From Salon