embellishment
UK: ɪmˈbelɪʃmənt | US: ɪmˈbelɪʃmənt
n. the act of adding decorative details to something
n. a decorative detail or feature added to enhance appearance
n. (figuratively) an exaggeration or elaboration to make a story more interesting
The word "embellishment" traces back to Old French "embellir" (to make beautiful), which combines the prefix "em-" (intensifier) with "bel" (beautiful). The Latin root "bellus" reflects the core idea of beauty, while the suffix "-ment" transforms the verb into a noun denoting the result of beautifying. Over time, the term expanded beyond physical decoration to include rhetorical or narrative enhancements.
The dress was plain until she added lace embellishments.
His stories often include colorful embellishments to captivate listeners.
The architect criticized the unnecessary embellishments on the building’s facade.
Historical accounts sometimes suffer from exaggeration and embellishment.
She specializes in the embellishment of handmade journals with gold leaf.