adornare

Adornare is a Latin verb meaning to adorn, decorate, equip, or furnish. It is a regular verb of the first conjugation and is used transitively with a direct object. The form appears in Classical Latin and throughout Late Latin, and it is the ancestor of cognate verbs in several Romance languages.

Etymology and cognates: Adornare is formed from the prefix ad- plus ornare (to decorate), itself from the root orn- meaning to decorate or furnish. The English verb adorn and the noun adornment, as well as Romance counterparts such as Italian adornare, Spanish adornar, and Portuguese adornar, descend from this lineage. The Latin root orn- also yields words such as ornament and related terms in other languages.

Grammatical notes: The infinitive is adornāre. In Latin it belongs to the first conjugation; the present active indicative forms include adornō, adornās, adornat, adornāmus, adornātis, adornant. The present passive forms include adornor, adornāris, adornātur, adornāmur, adornāminī, adornantur. The perfect active is formed with adornāvī, adornāvistī, adornāvit, adornāvimus, adornāvistis, adornāvērunt. In typical usage, adornare takes a direct object in the accusative.

Modern usage: In Italian, adornare is a standard -are verb meaning to adorn or decorate, with regular conjugation. In Spanish and Portuguese, adornar is used with the same sense of decoration or embellishment. In English, adorn derives from the Latin via historical transmission through French and other intermediaries.

See also: Adornment, Ornament, Ornamental.