English Explanatory Dictionary

apparatus

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The entirety of means whereby a specific production is made existent or task accomplished.
  2. A complex machine or instrument.
  3. An assortment of tools and instruments.
  4. A bureaucratic organization, especially one influenced by political patronage.
  5. A vehicle used for emergency response.
  6. Any of the equipment on which the gymnasts perform their movements.
  7. Any of the objects that the gymnasts wield while performing and used as part of the performance itself.
  8. A complex, highly modified weapon (typically not a firearm); a weaponized “Rube Goldberg machine.”
  9. In an edition, a system of notations providing information, especially regarding variant readings of a text (a critical apparatus)

Pronunciation

/ˌæp.əˈɹeɪ.təs/ /ˌæp.əˈɹæt.əs/ en-us-apparatus.ogg /ˌæp.əˈɹɑː.təs/ /əˈparətəs/ /ʔɐp.pɐˈɾaː.t̪ʊs/

Word forms

apparatus apparatuses apparatusses apparatûs apparatūs apparati

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *perh₃-der. Latin parō Latin apparō Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin apparātuslbor. English apparatus Learned borrowing from Latin apparātus. Doublet of apparat.

Synonyms

dynamic mechanism setup device instrument machinery tools gear equipment machine

Related words

apparat

Derived words

Abbe-Zeiss apparatus apparatus criticus apparatus program breathing apparatus critical apparatus CTD apparatus Fizeau-Foucault apparatus Golgi apparatus Ilizarov apparatus juxtaglomerular apparatus Kipp's apparatus lacrimal apparatus Orsat apparatus Soxhlet apparatus Weberian apparatus

Translations

Bulgarian: уред Dutch: turntoestel Finnish: teline
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