The Complete Vocabulary Builder Workbook

festoon

IPA:

Dictionary definition of festoon

To decorate or adorn something with a series of decorative objects, such as ribbons, flowers, or leaves, arranged in a looped or hanging pattern.
"Every year, we festoon the Christmas tree with sparkling ornaments."

Detailed meaning of festoon

Typically, the objects are arranged in a way that creates a decorative arch or curve, such as when hanging garlands or wreaths. Festooning is often used to create a festive or celebratory atmosphere, such as during weddings, parties, or holidays. The term can also refer to the act of adorning or embellishing something in a more general sense, such as when a writer festoons their prose with flowery language or when an artist festoons their painting with intricate details. In both cases, festooning involves adding decorative elements to enhance the overall appearance or aesthetic quality of the object.

Example sentences containing festoon

1. It's traditional for the bridesmaids to festoon the bride's car with flowers and ribbons.
2. The children love to festoon the house with handmade decorations on Halloween.
3. She decided to festoon her room with pictures of her favorite artists.
4. Let's festoon the garden with fairy lights for the party tonight.
5. We will festoon the stage with local wildflowers for the outdoor concert.
6. In December, they festoon the entire town square with holiday lights.

History and etymology of festoon

The verb 'festoon' finds its etymological origins in the Italian word 'festone,' which refers to a garland or decorative wreath. It entered the English language in the 17th century, retaining its sense of adorning or decorating something with a series of decorative objects, such as ribbons, flowers, or leaves, arranged in a looped or hanging pattern. 'Festoon' has been used to describe the ornamental draping or arrangement of materials, often in festive or celebratory contexts, such as adorning buildings, arches, or parade floats during special occasions. The term 'festoon' evokes a sense of festivity, elegance, and decorative opulence, making it a popular choice for describing the embellishment of various objects or spaces.

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Further usage examples of festoon

1. They plan to festoon the restaurant with balloons and streamers for the celebration.
2. To mark the festival, we festoon our houses with colorful lanterns.
3. Artists festoon their studios with inspiring images and references.
4. Many homeowners festoon their homes with wreaths and greenery during the winter season.
5. The event organizer suggested we festoon the entrance with vibrant banners.
6. Every spring, they festoon the streets with hanging baskets of flowers.
7. To celebrate the anniversary, the staff decided to festoon the office with memorabilia from past years.
8. Our goal is to festoon the entire hall with handmade paper decorations.
9. He loves to festoon his backpack with buttons and badges from every place he visits.
10. Why don't we festoon the ceiling with twinkling lights for a magical effect?
11. For the grand opening, the team decided to festoon the storefront with bright balloons.
12. Let's festoon the trees along the driveway with ribbons for the wedding.
13. They chose to festoon the parade float with feathers and sequins for a dazzling display.
14. She loves to festoon her garden with colorful flowers during the summer.
15. The wedding venue was festooned with elegant drapes and fairy lights.
16. We decided to festoon the party room with balloons and streamers.
17. The streets were festooned with banners in celebration of the holiday.
18. The Christmas tree was festooned with glittering ornaments and tinsel.
19. They planned to festoon the parade float with fresh, fragrant roses.
20. The costume designer will festoon the stage with elaborate, period-appropriate props.
21. The archway was festooned with ivy and delicate fairy lights.
22. They intend to festoon the boat with colorful flags for the regatta.
23. The vintage car was festooned with ribbons and bows for the newlyweds.
24. The artist sought to festoon the gallery walls with her vibrant, abstract paintings.