embellishment

/ɪmˈbɛlɪʃmɪnt/

/ɪmˈbɛlɪʃmənt/

Other forms: embellishments

Does your cupcake have chocolate icing on top, plus chocolate sprinkles AND a swirl of white chocolate? If so, that swirl of white chocolate is considered an embellishment — an unnecessary decorative detail designed purely to attract you. Also, can we have a bite?

Anything can have an embellishment, not just a cupcake; a building can have an unnecessary decorative element, and so can an explanation or a story. There is often a sense of deception implied by the word: it may be a harmless swirl of white chocolate but it can also be a detail designed to fool someone. Real estate agents are experts at adding embellishments to their descriptions of properties that may not be entirely true. Watch out for embellishments.

Definitions of embellishment

1. noun

   the act of adding extraneous decorations to something
   synonyms: ornamentation

   type of:

   decoration

   the act of decorating something (in the hope of making it more attractive)
2. noun

   a superfluous ornament
   types:

   boule, boulle, buhl

   an inlaid furniture decoration; tortoiseshell and yellow and white metal form scrolls in cabinetwork

   cuspidation

   a decoration using cusps

   festoon

   an embellishment consisting of a decorative representation of a string of flowers suspended between two points; used on pottery or in architectural work

   filagree, filigree, fillagree

   delicate and intricate ornamentation (usually in gold or silver or other fine twisted wire)

   vermiculation

   a decoration consisting of wormlike carvings

   flourish

   an ornamental embellishment in writing

   paraph

   a flourish added after or under your signature (originally to protect against forgery)

   type of:

   decoration, ornament, ornamentation

   something used to beautify
3. noun

   elaboration of an interpretation by the use of decorative (sometimes fictitious) detail
   “the mystery has been heightened by many embellishments in subsequent retellings”

   synonyms: embroidery

   type of:

   elaboration, enlargement, expansion

   a discussion that provides additional information