noun
MacGyver
muh-GEYE-vuh
noun
1
A person who can cleverly improvise a solution using whatever ordinary objects happen to be at hand.
"Our camp guide was a real MacGyver, fixing the broken tent pole with a shoelace and a stick."
verb
1
To improvise a fix or invention out of everyday items not normally meant for that purpose.
"She MacGyvered a phone charger out of spare wires when the original broke."
How to Use MacGyver
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo rig up a clever, improvised fix, or someone who's good at doing that.
When to use it
Informal; common in everyday conversation, not used in formal writing.
Common pairings
MacGyver a solution
MacGyver something together
Word Forms
MacGyvered past tense, MacGyvers plural, MacGyvers singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “MacGyver”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Our camp guide was a real _____, fixing the broken tent pole with a shoelace and a stick.
Etymology
From MacGyver, the title character of a 1980s American TV show known for building ingenious gadgets from ordinary objects.