- (transitive) to make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc
- to paint or wallpaper (a room, house, etc)
- (transitive) to confer a mark of distinction, esp a military medal, upon
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
dec•o•rate /ˈdɛkəˌreɪt/USA pronunciation
v. [ ~ + obj], -rat•ed, -rat•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to adorn with something ornamental or beautiful:They decorate the streets with Christmas tree lights.
- to honor (someone) with an award:to decorate a soldier for bravery.
dec•o•rate
(dek′ə rāt′),USA pronunciation v.t., -rat•ed, -rat•ing.
- to furnish or adorn with something ornamental or becoming;
embellish:to decorate walls with murals. - to plan and execute the design, furnishings, and ornamentation of the interior of (a house, office, apartment, etc.), esp. by selecting colors, fabrics, and style of furniture, by making minor structural changes, etc.:Their house is decorated in French Provincial style.
- to confer distinction upon by a badge, a medal of honor, etc.:to decorate a soldier for valor.
- Latin decorātus (past participle of decorāre), equivalent. to decor- (stem of decus) an ornament, splendor, honor (see decent) + -ātus -ate1
- late Middle English (adjective, adjectival) 1375–1425
- 1. ornament, bedeck, trim, garnish, festoon.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
decorate /ˈdɛkəˌreɪt/ vb