paraphernalia

[ par-uh-fer-neyl-yuh, -fuh-neyl- ]
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noun
  1. (sometimes used with a singular verb) equipment, apparatus, or furnishing used in or necessary for a particular activity: a skier's paraphernalia.

  2. (used with a plural verb) personal belongings.

  1. (used with a singular verb)Law. the personal articles, apart from dower, reserved by law to a married woman.

Origin of paraphernalia

1
1470–80; <Medieval Latin paraphernālia (bona) a bride's goods, beyond her dowry, equivalent to Late Latin paraphern(a) a bride's property (<Greek parápherna, equivalent to para-para-1 + phern() dowry, derivative of phérein to bear1 + -a neuter plural noun suffix) + Latin -ālia, noun use of neuter plural of -ālis-al1

Other words for paraphernalia

1 appointments, appurtenances, accouterments, trappings
2 effects
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Other words from paraphernalia

  • par·a·pher·na·lian, par·a·pher·nal [par-uh-fur-nl], /ˌpær əˈfɜr nl/, adjective

Words Nearby paraphernalia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use paraphernalia in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for paraphernalia

paraphernalia

/ (ˌpærəfəˈneɪlɪə) /


pl n(sometimes functioning as singular)
  1. miscellaneous articles or equipment

  2. law (formerly) articles of personal property given to a married woman by her husband before or during marriage and regarded in law as her possessions over which she has some measure of control

Origin of paraphernalia

1
C17: via Medieval Latin from Latin parapherna personal property of a married woman, apart from her dowry, from Greek, from para- 1 + phernē dowry, from pherein to carry

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