What is the difference between a decorator and a regular function in Python?

A decorator is a higher‑order function that takes a function as input and returns a new function, often adding behavior before or after the original call. It is applied using the @ syntax. A regular function simply performs its defined task and returns a value. Decorators are syntactic sugar for wrapping functions, enabling cross‑cutting concerns like logging, authentication, or caching without modifying the original function's code.