noun / verb

frill

FRILL/frɪl/

An ornamental edging added beyond what is necessary.

A frill of feathers and ribbons decorates the pencil's upper end.

Two otherwise identical usable pencils lie side by side; one has an oversized, colorful feather-and-ribbon topper, making the purely decorative extra immediately apparent.

Etymology

A frill was an ornamental edging on clothing. That decorative role gave rise to the figurative sense of an embellishment or extra that is not essential.

In context

Minerva16:35

… the gorgeous little frill detail around the hemline and the Frills around the sleeve …

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More examples

The hotel offers clean rooms without any expensive frills.
He considers heated seats an unnecessary frill.
She frills the cuffs with strips of gathered cotton.

Forms

frill · frills · frilled · frilling

frilly adjective — Decorated with gathered or ruffled edges.

Similar words

ruffle: Specifically a gathered fabric edge, not an optional extra.
embellishment: Any decorative addition, not necessarily a fabric border.
luxury: An optional comfort, usually costlier than a simple decoration.