noun

paraphernalia

pa-ruh-fuh-NAY-lee-uh

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Paraphernalia (noun) means a miscellaneous collection of items, especially equipment associated with a particular activity. Example: “The garage was full of camping paraphernalia.”

noun

A miscellaneous collection of items, especially equipment associated with a particular activity.

"People such as William James and the Stephensons (with whom he collaborated) may have been the movers and shakers of the early railways, but there was other, less exalted bods who constructed all the paraphernalia—including stations." — Stephen Roberts, Stories and Facts behind railway plaques: Reading (1840) (2021)

"The garage was full of camping paraphernalia."

"Police found drug paraphernalia during the search."

"He has an impressive collection of bicycling paraphernalia, but he doesn't ride very often anymore."

"Then the boys arrived, with their camping paraphernalia, and in such bubbling good spirits that the girls were infected with them, for they had become rather lonesome of late." — Laura Lee Hope (1913)

How to use paraphernalia

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAll the odds-and-ends gear that goes along with doing something — usually treated as a plural mass, not counted individually.

Common mistake

Always used as a collective noun — you don't say "a paraphernalia" or "two paraphernalias."

Common pairings

drug paraphernalia camping paraphernalia assorted paraphernalia

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The garage was full of camping _____.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin paraphernalia, "goods belonging to a wife beyond her dowry," from Greek para- ("beside") + pherne ("dowry"). The word broadened from a legal term for a wife's personal property into "assorted gear" generally.

Origin: Medieval Latin

Synonyms

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gear appurtenance

Related words

things stuff train equipment wheel gear pitch kit

Rhymes for paraphernalia

Odia aria India Syria ataxia Latvia acacia LGBTQIA ectasia hryvnia begonia anaemia

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Frequently asked questions

What does “paraphernalia” mean?

The word “paraphernalia” means a miscellaneous collection of items, especially equipment associated with a particular activity. In plain terms, all the odds-and-ends gear that goes along with doing something — usually treated as a plural mass, not counted individually.

How do you pronounce “paraphernalia”?

“Paraphernalia” is pronounced pa-ruh-fuh-NAY-lee-uh (/ˌpɛɹəfɚˈneɪli.ə/ in IPA).

How do you use “paraphernalia” in a sentence?

Here is “paraphernalia” used in a sentence: “The garage was full of camping paraphernalia.”

What part of speech is “paraphernalia”?

“Paraphernalia” is a noun.

Where does the word “paraphernalia” come from?

The word “paraphernalia” comes from Medieval Latin.

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