adminicle

American

[ad-min-i-kuhl] / ædˈmɪn ɪ kəl /

noun

an aid; auxiliary.

adminicle British

/ ædˈmɪnɪkəl /

noun

law something contributing to prove a point without itself being complete proof

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

adminicular adjective
adminiculary adjective

Etymology

Origin of adminicle

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin adminiculum “prop (for vines), support,” equivalent to ad- ad- + element -min- probably related to moenia “defensive walls of a town” + -i- -i- + -culum -cle ²

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.

In this case a portion of that silken band was carefully sewn up, as an adminicle of evidence, in the writ recording the transaction.

From Project Gutenberg

The loss of this adscititious adminicle would make the sage's impeccable, but lugubrious bosom vibrate with the horrors of dilution and dereliction.

From Project Gutenberg

The peacock was but an adminicle.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023