paraphernalia

Pronunciation: /ˌpɛɹəfɚˈneɪli.ə/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles needed for a particular operation or sport etc.

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin paraphernālia (“goods which a wife brings over and above her dowry”), use as noun (short for paraphernālia bona (“paraphernal goods”)) of neuter plural of paraphernālis, from Late Latin parapherna + Latin -ālis (suffix forming adjectives), from Ancient Greek παράφερνα (parápherna), a compound of παρά (pará, “beside”) + φερνή (phernḗ, “dowry”). In the propertied classes, a dowry was placed under the control of the husband, while the paraphernalia which she brought with her remained the wife’s property.

In classic literature

Synonyms

gear, appurtenance

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
equipment
Narrower (hyponyms)
stable gear, regalia, kit, rigging, fishing gear, rig

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