paraphernalia — miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌpærəfərˈneɪliə/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother's sewing paraphernalia could fill an entire closet.
- The detective found suspicious paraphernalia in the suspect's bag.
- Dad's golf paraphernalia costs more than my entire wardrobe.
paraphernalia
NOUN[/ˌpærəfərˈneɪliə/]
miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity
All the equipment for one activity
From sports memorabilia to royal regalia, all paraphernalia tells a story!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from ancient Greek, where it originally referred to personal belongings a bride brought to marriage beyond her dowry. The term evolved from Late Latin paraphernalia, used to denote a married woman's separate personal property, and has since generalized to mean all equipment, tools, or accessories associated with a particular activity or hobby.
Breakdown
para- (beside, beyond) + pherne (dowry) + -alia (plural suffix denoting things or items belonging to). The prefix para- indicates goods separate from the main dowry, while -alia forms the plural neuter ending in Late Latin.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother's sewing paraphernalia could fill an entire closet.”
“The detective found suspicious paraphernalia in the suspect's bag.”
“Dad's golf paraphernalia costs more than my entire wardrobe.”
“She carries so much makeup paraphernalia that her purse weighs five pounds.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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