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:
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| 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.
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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
gadget
(ˈgӕdʒit) noun a usually small tool, machine etc. a useful gadget for loosening bottle lids.aparato, dispositivo, artilugio
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.