decorative

[ dek-er-uh-tiv, dek-ruh-, dek-uh-rey- ]

adjective

1. serving or tending to decorate.
2. Fine Arts. serving only to decorate, in contrast to providing a meaningful experience.

decorative

/ ˈdɛkrətɪv; ˈdɛkərətɪv /

adjective

1. serving to decorate or adorn; ornamental

Derived Forms

• ˈdecorativeness, noun
• ˈdecoratively, adverb

Other Words From

• deco·ra·tive·ly adverb
• deco·ra·tive·ness noun
• non·deco·ra·tive adjective
• over·deco·ra·tive adjective
• over·deco·ra·tive·ly adverb
• over·deco·ra·tive·ness noun
• un·deco·ra·tive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of decorative¹

First recorded in 1785–95; decorate + -ive

Example Sentences

That, of course, makes for an expensive endeavor, but “the tile becomes an interesting decorative layer in the room,” Ridder says.

From Washington Post

A week later, I’d constructed a ten-by-six-foot L-shaped structure, bracketed by three posts crowned with old wood corbels—decorative supports—that I found in the junk pile.

From Outside Online

Plants add a beautiful, elegant, and relaxing look to your home or office, and a festive decorative look to parties and gatherings.

From Popular-Science

These large, eye-catching, and decorative pieces will accentuate your space whilst educating and entertaining you and your guests.

From Popular-Science

The smaller, squatter size and decorative style make this a great option for small offices, or work-from-home spaces.

From Popular-Science

Decorative yes, but a daily handbag that will sweep through the closets of women worldwide?

From The Daily Beast

The work at Art Basel is often interesting, often dull, and disproportionately decorative in nature.

From The Daily Beast

Decorative value is largely incidental to artistic merit as defined by critics.

From The Daily Beast

Having been taught Modernism, a school of thought that scoffs at the decorative, materials became his primary means of expression.

From The Daily Beast

Undergarments did enjoy a brief moment of exposure in the 18th century, with the ruling class indulging in decorative corsets.

From The Daily Beast

The painter breakfasting at the next table is hard at work on a decorative panel for a ceiling.

From Project Gutenberg

All decorative painting, carving, and inlaying is done by them; in short, they excel in all ingenious mechanical arts.

From Project Gutenberg

Over the wall was spread a coating of fine marble stucco for decorative purposes, which gave it a finish of dazzling white.

From Project Gutenberg

There is considerable decorative skill displayed in the edifice; but the work looks opaque and needs brightening up.

From Project Gutenberg

Silver, even, is less common in heavy decorative metal work than is solid gold.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• fancy
• ornamental