accoutrement
Britishnoun
-
equipment worn by soldiers in addition to their clothing and weapons
-
(usually plural) clothing, equipment, etc; trappings
the correct accoutrements for any form of sport
Explanation
Does that shiny new car come with all the bells and whistles? Then it has plenty of accoutrements, or accessories. Say accoutrement with a French accent and you'll be referring to an outfit — a particularly bizarre outfit. But when we borrowed the word from France, it evolved to refer to any kind of trappings or extras, especially clothing accessories. So an accoutrement can be anything from a belt or bangles, to extra cup holders and heated bucket seats.
Vocabulary lists containing accoutrement
Treasure Island
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Friday Night Lights
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Beowulf
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I don’t have kids, so I’m not too aware of all the accoutrement of kids: the toys and the media and all that,” Stevens tells The Times in a rare phone interview.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2024
"Watching the lying-in-state, the procession from Buckingham Palace - all those ceremonial uniforms with their accoutrement fittings, we will have manufactured them," Mr Kelly said.
From BBC • Sep. 18, 2022
Plus, chopped veggies can double as an accoutrement to a pre-dinner grazing board or get tossed into a salad for lunch or dinner.
From Salon • Nov. 28, 2021
I can’t be the only person who used to think Jughead Jones was wearing a crown when he was in fact sporting this humorous sartorial accoutrement made from a felt fedora’s raggedy, upturned brim.
From Slate • Dec. 20, 2019
She sewed upon every accoutrement a design done in scarlet beads, showing a picture of a little red foot.
From The Little Red Foot by Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
