apparatus
- 01 C1 Advanced
the set of tools, machines, or instruments used for a particular job or scientific experiment.
a collective term for the technical equipment or machinery needed for a particular activity or purpose.
Simple“The laboratory was filled with expensive apparatus for testing water quality.”
In context“The researchers spent several weeks calibrating the delicate apparatus before they could begin the high-pressure chemical synthesis.”
UsageUsually treated as an uncountable or collective noun, though 'apparatuses' is the standard plural form.
- 02 C1 Advanced
the complex system of a government or organization that makes it work.
the complex structure of a particular organisation or system, especially a political or bureaucratic one.
Simple“It is difficult to change the state apparatus because it has so many layers of rules.”
In context“The party maintained control by embedding its loyalists deep within the administrative apparatus of the regional government.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
the specific pieces of equipment that gymnasts use, like the bars or the rings.
the various pieces of equipment on which gymnasts perform their exercises.
Simple“She practiced her routine on every apparatus, including the balance beam and the uneven bars.”
In context“The gymnast moved fluidly from one apparatus to the next, demonstrating remarkable versatility across both the rings and the vault.”
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
a group of organs in the body that work together to do a job.
a group of organs or structures that work together to perform a specific biological function.
Simple“The breathing apparatus in humans includes the lungs and the windpipe.”
In context“Damage to the vestibular apparatus in the inner ear can lead to chronic issues with balance and spatial orientation.”
Usage use apparatus
“Counsel for the DPP claimed Judge Staines had fallen into fundamental error in interpreting a Supreme Court ruling that allowed motorists accused of drink-driving to inspect the relevant breath testing apparatus.”
“Under his rule, Syria’s fearsome security apparatus was given a free hand to arrest, torture and kill civilians on an industrial scale.”
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.