gadget
Americannoun
noun
-
a small mechanical device or appliance
-
any object that is interesting for its ingenuity or novelty rather than for its practical use
Other Word Forms
- gadgety adjective
Etymology
Origin of gadget
1850–55; origin uncertain; compare French gâchette the catch of a lock, sear of a gunlock
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.
Ndedi, from Cameroon, uses her acrobatic skills for the most elaborate escapes, Cryptic is the hacker from Kenya and Congolese Fred is the getaway driver and gadget maker.
From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026
The gadget relies on iridology, a technique by which iris colors and markings are believed to reveal information about a person's health, but which is generally considered scientifically unreliable.
From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026
Plus, tech billionaires’ ‘Save California’ Signal Chat, highlights from the year’s biggest gadget show, the woman running SpaceX and more, in this edition of the Technology newsletter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026
On the clock and off, I am a gadget problem solver.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025
They used a homemade gadget for scraping corn off the cob and added globs of butter, cream, and salt.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
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.
