Decora

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of decorative element or ornamentation often used in artistic works or design projects
2. Referring to adornments or embellishments intended to enhance the visual appeal of an item or space
3. Characterizing the aesthetic enhancements that contribute to the overall beauty and style of an object or environment

Etymology: In Japan, "decora" is a clipped form of "dekorēshon," the Japanese rendering of the English word "decoration." Japanese speakers shortened the longer word to "dekora," and English speakers later borrowed that shortened form back for a fashion style marked by heavy ornamentation. The English word traces back to Latin "decorare," "to adorn," from "decor," meaning "grace" or "fitting appearance." English took "decoration" from that same Latin family, so the term has circled from English to Japanese and back again. A separate, learned borrowing from Latin "decora," from "decorus" ("fitting, seemly, graceful"), shares the same root, so the English term has two routes to the same classical source.

Synonyms: decorations, adornments, embellishments, ornaments, trimmings

Antonyms: plainness, barrenness, simplicity, austerity, sobriety