Adornments
/əˈdɔːrnmənts/
nounB2plural
Definition
Adornments are objects or decorations that people use to make something or someone look nicer. These can include jewelry, ornaments, or any small items placed on clothes, homes, or bodies to improve appearance.
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⚡ See It in Action
Objects used as decoration on people or things
- •She wore beautiful adornments made of gold and pearls.
- •The room had many adornments, including colorful paintings and vases.
- •Traditional costumes often include many adornments like beads and feathers.
Decorative details added to clothing or items
- •The dress had lace adornments along the sleeves.
- •The artist added small adornments to the sculpture to make it more interesting.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "adornments" like "decorations" (A1 word), but usually smaller and often personal, like jewelry or small art pieces
- ✓Picture a necklace or shiny beads on a dress that catch your eye and make it special
- ✓It's the feeling when you wear a favorite necklace or put flowers on a table to make a room feel warm and pretty
- ✓Sounds like "a-DORN-ments" → imagine "dorn" as "dawn," the beautiful light that makes everything look better, so adornments make things look as bright and nice as dawn
- ✓Think of a princess wearing a crown and jewels to look elegant and special
- ✓NOT like "paint" (which covers surfaces), adornments are added on top to decorate and highlight
- ✓NOT like "clothes" (basic covering), adornments are extra things that add beauty or style
- ✓NOT like "tools" (used for work), adornments are used only for looks, not function
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Decoration: something added to make something look nicer (Use when talking about general beautifying, like party decorations)
- •Jewelry: personal adornments made of precious metals or stones (Use when specifically talking about wearable adornments)
- •Ornaments: small decorative objects (Use when referring to small objects, often for homes or trees)
- •Embellishments: extra details added to improve appearance (Use when focusing on added design details, often on clothes or art)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "ad-" (to, toward) + "orn" (from Latin "ornare," meaning to decorate) + "-ment" (a noun suffix meaning the result of an action)
- •Etymology: From Latin "adornare," meaning to decorate or equip
- •Historical development: Originally used for decorating or equipping something; now mainly means decorative objects or additions
- •Modern usage: Used to describe things added to improve beauty, often jewelry, decorations on clothes, or small decorative objects
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How do different cultures use adornments to show identity or status?
•Can something be beautiful without adornments? How do adornments change the way we see things?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.People often add adornments to their clothing to ___ their appearance for special events.
2.The room looked plain until they added colorful adornments like paintings and ___.
3.Unlike basic clothes, adornments are added ___ to create style or beauty.
4.She wore many adornments, including rings and necklaces, which made her look ___.
5.Adornments are usually ___ objects that do not have a practical function.
6.When the festival started, everyone decorated themselves with adornments to ___ the celebration.
7.The artist carefully placed adornments on the sculpture to ___ its details and make it more attractive.