paraphernal
ə 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.
3.
(used with a singular verb) Law. the personal articles, apart from dower, reserved by law to a married woman.
Origin:
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(ḗ) dowry, derivative of phérein to bear1 + -a neuter plural noun suffix) + Latin -ālia, noun use of neuter plural of -ālis -al1
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(ḗ) dowry, derivative of phérein to bear1 + -a neuter plural noun suffix) + Latin -ālia, noun use of neuter plural of -ālis -al1
Related forms
Synonyms
1. appointments, appurtenances, accouterments, trappings. 2. effects.
1. appointments, appurtenances, accouterments, trappings. 2. effects.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To paraphernal
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Paraphernal
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
paraphernalia (ˌpærəfəˈneɪlɪə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —pl n | |
| 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 |
| [C17: via Medieval Latin from Latin parapherna personal property of a married woman, apart from her dowry, from Greek, from | |
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
paraphernalia
1651, "a woman's property besides her dowry," from M.L. paraphernalia (short for paraphernalia bona "paraphernal goods"), neut. pl. of paraphernalis (adj.), from L.L. parapherna "a woman's property besides her dowry," from Gk. parapherna, neut. pl., from para- "beside" + pherne "dowry," related to pherein
"to carry" (see infer). Meaning "equipment, apparatus" is first attested 1791, from notion of odds and ends.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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