gadget
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gadg·et
(găj′ĭt)n.
A small specialized mechanical or electronic device; a contrivance.
[Perhaps originally 19th century glassblowers' jargon gadget, spring-pressure clip at the end of a punty to hold the foot of a glass being blown without creating a mark, probably from French gâchette, pawl, tumbler in a gunlock, strike plate : gâche, strike plate, collar or bracket for a pipe (from Middle French gasche, strike plate, iron hook, from Old French, calk of a shoe or horseshoe, from Frankish *gaspia, buckle, clasp; akin to Middle Dutch gespe, probably (with metathesis) from Germanic *gapsō, *gipsō; akin to Old Norse geispa, to yawn, and gapa, to gape) + -ette, diminutive suffix (from Middle French, from Old French; see -ette).]
gadg′et·y adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
gadget
(ˈɡædʒɪt)n
1. a small mechanical device or appliance
2. any object that is interesting for its ingenuity or novelty rather than for its practical use
[C19: perhaps from French gâchette lock catch, trigger, diminutive of gâche staple]
ˈgadgety adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
gadg•et
(ˈgædʒ ɪt)n.
a usu. small mechanical or electronic contrivance or device; any ingenious article.
[1850–55; orig. uncertain]
gadg`e•teer′, n.
gadg′et•ry, n.
gadg′et•y, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
gadget
- May come from French gachette, which is or has been applied to various pieces of mechanism, or from Gaget, the person who created the first so-called gadgets—miniature Statues of Liberty sold in Paris—or from a Navy term for a tool or mechanical device for which one could not recall the name.See also related terms for mechanism.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
gadget
Radar equipment (type of equipment may be indicated by a letter as listed in operation orders). May be followed by a color to indicate state of jamming. Colors will be used as follows: a. green--Clear of jamming. b. amber--Sector partially jammed. c. red--Sector completely jammed. d. blue--Completely jammed.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  gadget - a device or control that is very useful for a particular jobdevice - an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device intended to conserve water" gadgetry - appliances collectively; "laborsaving gadgetry" gimbal - an appliance that allows an object (such as a ship's compass) to remain horizontal even as its support tips injector - a contrivance for injecting (e.g., water into the boiler of a steam engine or particles into an accelerator etc.) mod con - modern convenience; the appliances and conveniences characteristic of a modern house |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
gadget
noun device, thing, appliance, machine, tool, implement, invention, instrument, novelty, apparatus, gimmick, utensil, contraption (informal), gizmo (slang, chiefly U.S. & Canad.), contrivance a handy gadget for slicing vegetables
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
gadget
nounA small specialized mechanical device:
Slang: gizmo.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
آلة لِفَتْح العُلَب
přístrojzařízení
dimsindretningtingest
Helferlein
szerkentyû
apparat, tæki
ierīceietaise
priprava
âlet
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
gadget
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
gadget
(ˈgӕdʒit) noun a usually small tool, machine etc. a useful gadget for loosening bottle lids.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.