anti-ornamental
|an-ti-or-na-men-tal|
🇺🇸
/ˌæntiɔrnəˈmɛntəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌæntiɔːnəˈmɛntl/
against ornamentation; plain
Etymology
'anti-ornamental' is a compound formed from the prefix 'anti-' and the adjective 'ornamental'. 'anti-' originates from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against', while 'ornamental' derives from Latin 'ornamentum' (from the verb 'ornare') meaning 'that which adorns'.
'ornamental' comes from Latin 'ornamentum' → Old French 'ornement' → Middle English 'ornament' and later developed the adjectival form 'ornamental'. The prefix 'anti-' (Greek 'anti') entered English via Latin/Old French usage as a productive prefix meaning 'against' and combined with existing adjectives to form compounds like 'anti-ornamental'.
Initially the elements meant 'against' + 'that which adorns', so the compound literally meant 'against ornamentation'; over time it has come to describe both the quality of lacking decoration and the ideological stance of opposing ornamentation.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
deliberately lacking decorative features; characterized by a rejection of ornamentation in design or style.
The new public building adopted an anti-ornamental façade: plain surfaces, exposed structure, and no decorative trim.
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Adjective 2
opposed to the use of ornamentation as a matter of principle or ideology (often used in art, architecture, and design criticism).
Critics described the movement as explicitly anti-ornamental, reacting against previous eras of excessive decoration.
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Last updated: 2026/01/14 09:49