Decoration

How to spell decoration

10 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce decoration

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does decoration mean?

1. nounSomething added to make a thing more attractive, or the act of adorning it.
2. nounAn official medal or award given to honour distinguished service.

Decoration in a sentence

• The office party budget covered food, music, and decoration.

• He received a military decoration for bravery during the rescue.

• Each decoration on the tree was carefully wrapped and stored after the holidays.

• The veteran wore every decoration from his years of service.

Where does decoration come from?

Language of origin: Latin

The word descends from the Latin decoratio, a noun built on the verb decorare, meaning 'to adorn' or 'to beautify'. That verb in turn came from decus, which literally meant 'ornament, grace, or honour', so the original idea was both visual beauty and the dignity that adornment confers. English took the word in through Old French in the early modern period, and by the 1500s and 1600s it described the act of making something more attractive as well as the ornaments themselves. The 'honour' strand of the root survives in the sense of a military or civic decoration, a medal awarded for distinguished service. The same decus family also gives us 'decorum' and 'decorous', words about fitting, dignified conduct, which is a useful reminder that the spelling keeps the plain -cor- in the middle rather than any doubled letter.

How the word is built

• de- (intensifier)
• cor- (from decorare: to adorn, from decus 'ornament, honour')
• -ation (noun of action/result)