ornate

Where does the word "ornate" come from? It comes from Latin ornare, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Ornate’s story begins in Latin: ornare meant “to equip, to embellish.” The root of 'adorn' and 'ornament'. Within Latin, it grew into ornatus by ancient. Equipped, adorned, decorated, from ornare. It reached English by 1400s as ornate. Settled as the English word for something elaborately decorated. Today, ornate means elaborately or heavily decorated, sometimes excessively so.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient ornare "to equip, to embellish", the root of 'adorn' and 'ornament'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient ornatus "equipped, adorned, decorated", equipped, adorned, decorated, from ornare.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s ornate "elaborately or heavily decorated", settled as the English word for something elaborately decorated.