Adornation

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act or process of adding decorative elements to enhance appearance
2. A process of embellishing or beautifying by adding ornamental features
3. The condition or act of making something more attractive through decoration

Etymology: "Adornation" is built in the most ordinary way: "adorn" plus the suffix "-ation," which turns a verb into a noun naming the act or process of doing that verb. So the word means, quite literally, the act of adorning. "Adorn" itself came into English from Latin "adornare," meaning "to equip, furnish or decorate," formed from "ad-" ("to") and "ornare" ("to equip, adorn"). The "-ation" ending also comes from Latin, through Old French, and attaches to many verbs to form nouns such as "creation" or "formation." The word is a transparent formation rather than a dramatic coinage, and its meaning has stayed close to its parts. Its uses are uncommon in modern English, where "decoration" or "adornment" is more usual for the same sense.