noun
gingerbread
Elaborate decorative trim, especially on buildings.
Delicate gingerbread frames the porch of the old Victorian house.
Etymology
Decorated gingerbread supplied the comparison for elaborate ornamental trim. The architectural use suggests decorative detail added to a building like embellishment on a sweet confection.
More examples
- The carpenter repairs the wooden gingerbread beneath the eaves.
- White paint makes the gingerbread stand out against the blue siding.
- We prefer simple buildings without so much gingerbread.
Similar words
- fretwork
- Specifically describes decorative patterns cut through wood or metal.
- trim
- Includes plain finishing details, not just elaborate decoration.
- ornamentation
- Covers decoration generally, rather than especially elaborate architectural trim.