: to add unnecessary ornamentation to something beautiful in its own right.

What does it mean to paint the lily?

Definitions of paint the lily. verb. make unnecessary additions to what is already complete. synonyms: gild the lily. type of: add.

What is the opposite of gilding the lily?

There are no categorical antonyms for gild the lily. The verb gild the lily is defined as: To embellish or improve something unnecessarily.