The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word ASTRAGAL
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
A
S
T
R
A
G
A
L
More clues leading to the result ASTRAGAL
- Moulding a girl, keeping skills up
- Briefly leaving the straight and narrow, girl finds joint
- Silver lining for heavenly ornament
- Moulding of a star with investment of a grand
- Beading of silver in starry environs
- Architectural moulding, star-shaped, filled with silver
- Moulding and shaping a star female
- Like stars round a grand semicircular moulding
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "ornament" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ornament = astragal.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ASTRAGAL mean?
ASTRAGAL noun- A semicircular molding separating the architrave at the top or bottom of a column.
- A tool used to mold such features; similar tools used for connecting panes of glass in a window.
- A circular molding near the mouth of a cannon.
- A molding attached to double doors to prevent drafts.
- (roof plumbing) A bracket used to fix downpipes to the wall of a building.
- The anklebone.
- A herb of the genus Astragalus.
- Gaming with one or more dice.
- A die.
- That which has been diced.
- Any of several plants indigenous to the western United States, of genus Oxytropis or Astragalus.