kaunistama

Kaunistama is an Estonian verb meaning to beautify, adorn, or embellish. It denotes the act of making something more attractive in appearance, such as a room, a person, or a landscape, and can also be used metaphorically to describe enhancing non-visual aspects like a text or a presentation. The verb is transitive and part of the -tama class of Estonian verbs; its meaning is built from kaunis, “beautiful,” with the infinitive suffix -tama.

Related forms include kaunistamine, the noun for the act of beautification, and kaunistus, an ornament or adornment. In usage, kaunistama commonly appears in design, art, architecture, gardening, fashion, and interior decorating contexts, but it may also describe cosmetic or rhetorical enhancements in a broader sense. The term carries a positive connotation of increasing attractiveness or appeal.

Etymology traces kaunistama to the adjective kaunis (“beautiful”) with the -tama infinitive suffix, reflecting the core idea of creating beauty. The concept aligns with similar verbs in Estonian that express making something more or better in appearance. See also kaunistamine, kaunistus, and related aesthetic terms for details on decorative practices and visual culture.