embellish

[ em-bel-ish ]
/ ɛmˈbɛl ɪʃ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR embellish ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to beautify by or as if by ornamentation; ornament; adorn.
to enhance (a statement or narrative) with fictitious additions.

Origin of embellish

1300–50; Middle English embelisshen < Anglo-French, Middle French embeliss- (stem of embelir), equivalent to em- em-1 + bel- (< Latin bellus pretty) + -iss- -ish2

OTHER WORDS FROM embellish

Words nearby embellish

embden-meyerhof pathway, embed, embedded microchips, embedding, embelin, embellish, embellishment, ember, ember day, ember days, ember goose

Words related to embellish

bedeck, exaggerate, gild, overstate, festoon, embroider, adorn, trim, magnify, deck, color, enrich, elaborate, ornament, beautify, enhance, array, garnish, fudge, grace

Example sentences from the Web for embellish

British Dictionary definitions for embellish

embellish
/ (ɪmˈbɛlɪʃ) /

verb (tr)

to improve or beautify by adding detail or ornament; adorn
to make (a story) more interesting by adding detail
to provide (a melody, part, etc) with ornaments See ornament (def. 5)

Derived forms of embellish

embellisher, noun embellishment, noun

Word Origin for embellish

C14: from Old French embelir, from bel beautiful, from Latin bellus