In a manner serving to decorate or intended for decoration; in a way that emphasizes beauty and appearance over function.
From decorative + -ly (adverbial suffix). Decorative comes from Latin decorativus. The adverbial form became standard in English by the 18th century to describe how something functions aesthetically rather than practically.
When something is used 'decoratively' rather than 'functionally,' it marks an interesting split in purpose—think of a decorative fireplace that doesn't actually heat. This word helps us talk about the difference between what something *does* and what something *means*, which is surprisingly important to how humans create meaning.
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