An adornment is something added to make something or someone more beautiful or interesting to look at. When you tie a ribbon in your hair, hang ornaments on a Christmas tree, or add stickers to your notebook, you're using adornments.

The word comes from the verb adorn, which means to decorate or embellish. Throughout history, people have used adornments to express themselves and mark special occasions. Ancient Egyptians wore elaborate gold jewelry as adornment. Medieval knights decorated their armor and shields with colorful symbols. Today, people use adornments ranging from simple friendship bracelets to fancy architectural details on buildings.

Adornments can also carry meaning beyond beauty. A medal pinned to a soldier's uniform is an adornment that shows honor and achievement. The carved details on a historic courthouse serve as adornment while also showing the importance of the building. Even a birthday cake with candles and frosting flowers becomes more special with these adornments.

The word can describe anything from a single piece of jewelry to elaborate decorations covering an entire room. What makes something an adornment is that it's added specifically to enhance beauty or show significance, not because it's necessary for the thing to function.