equipment

American  

[ih-kwip-muhnt] / ɪˈkwɪp mənt /

noun

1. anything kept, furnished, or provided for a specific purpose.

   Synonyms:

   accouterment , paraphernalia , apparatus

2. the act of equipping a person or thing.

3. the state of being equipped.

4. the personal knowledge and skill required for a task, occupation, etc..

   He has the necessary equipment for law.

5. the rolling stock of a railroad.

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equipment British  

/ ɪˈkwɪpmənt /

noun

1. an act or instance of equipping

2. the items so provided

3. a set of tools, devices, kit, etc, assembled for a specific purpose, such as a soldier's kit and weapons

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Other Word Forms

• preequipment noun
• reequipment noun

Etymology

Origin of equipment

First recorded in 1710–20; equip + -ment

Example Sentences

Industries that contracted included apparel, textiles, paper products, chemicals and transportation equipment.

From The Wall Street Journal

The accident stemmed from equipment failure and compounding human missteps.

From The Wall Street Journal

They have been used for decades, in anything from waterproof clothes, to cookware, electronics and medical equipment.

From BBC

"In practice, we face many difficulties, especially given our own circumstances, including equipment issues and delays in scheduling the manufacturers' technical personnel," Koo said.

From Barron's

AI investments—in equipment, data centers, and research and development, for example—accounted for as much as half of U.S. gross-domestic-product growth in the first half of 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• apparatus
• furnishings
• furniture
• machinery
• material