ornamentalism
ornamentalism Lexical Profile
ornamentalism Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The practice of, appreciation for, or heavy reliance on decorative elements and embellishments, particularly in art, architecture, literature, or design.
"The building's heavy ornamentalism stood in stark contrast to the sleek, functional lines of modernist architecture."
A system of hierarchical pageantry, titles, and social ranking historically utilized by the British Empire to manage, govern, and visually unify its colonial subjects across the globe.
"In his analysis of the British Empire, the historian argued that ornamentalism was just as crucial to colonial rule as military force, binding subjects through a shared respect for royal prestige."
• Rhymes for ornamentalism
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the adjective 'ornamental' (from Latin 'ornamentum', meaning decoration) combined with the suffix '-ism'. It gained specific historiographical significance through historian David Cannadine's 2001 book 'Ornamentalism'.