contrivance

[ kuhn-trahy-vuhns ]
See synonyms for: contrivancecontrivances on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. something contrived; a device, especially a mechanical one.

  2. the act or manner of contriving; the faculty or power of contriving.

  1. a plan or scheme; expedient.

Origin of contrivance

1
First recorded in 1620–30; contrive + -ance

Other words from contrivance

  • non·con·triv·ance, noun
  • pre·con·triv·ance, noun

Words Nearby contrivance

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use contrivance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for contrivance

contrivance

/ (kənˈtraɪvəns) /


noun
  1. something contrived, esp an ingenious device; contraption

  2. the act or faculty of devising or adapting; inventive skill or ability

  1. an artificial rather than natural selection or arrangement of details, parts, etc

  2. an elaborate or deceitful plan or expedient; stratagem

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