Garniture

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɡɑrnɪtʃər/

Definitions

1. A decorative set of accessories that enhances the visual appeal of an object or space while adding functional elements to its design
2. An embellishing collection of ornamental items that serves to enhance the aesthetic or functional qualities of an object or setting
3. A group of decorative items arranged to complement and enhance an object's appearance ; a set of matching ornamental objects used to adorn a space or item

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "garniture" is that its earliest sense had nothing to do with decoration. In Old French, "garneture" meant an accessory for a saddle, the fittings and trappings that equipped a horse for riding or war. The word came into Middle English as "garnetture" and from Anglo-Norman as "garniture," carrying that practical, equipping sense with it. Its root is the Old French verb "garnir," "guarnir," meaning to furnish, equip, or provide, and that verb in turn came from a Frankish form, reconstructed as "warnijan," meaning "to prevent, deny." The Frankish sense is hard to connect with equipping, and the path between the two meanings is not fully clear, so the link is best treated as uncertain. Over time the sense of equipping gave way to ornament: items chosen to complete and match a thing, such as the matching dishes, candlesticks, or trimmings set out on a table or fitted to a dress. That is the meaning the word carries today.