paraphernalia
[ par-uh-fer-neyl-yuh, -fuh-neyl- ]
/ ˌpær ə fərˈneɪl yə, -fəˈneɪl- /
noun
(sometimes used with a singular verb)
equipment, apparatus, or furnishing used in or necessary for a particular activity: a skier's paraphernalia.
(used with a plural verb)
personal belongings.
(used with a singular verb) Law.
the personal articles, apart from dower, reserved by law to a married woman.
Origin of paraphernalia
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
SYNONYMS FOR paraphernalia
OTHER WORDS FROM paraphernalia
par·a·pher·na·lian, par·a·pher·nal [par-uh-fur-nl] /ˌpær əˈfɜr nl/, adjectiveWords nearby paraphernalia
paraperitoneal hernia,
parapet,
paraph,
paraphase amplifier,
paraphasia,
paraphernalia,
paraphia,
paraphilia,
paraphimosis,
paraphrase,
paraphrasis
Example sentences from the Web for paraphernalia
British Dictionary definitions for paraphernalia
paraphernalia
/ (ˌpærəfəˈneɪlɪə) /
pl n (sometimes functioning as singular)
miscellaneous articles or equipment
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
Word Origin for paraphernalia
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