Word
contraption
Phoneticscon·trap·tion
US/kənˈtɹæpʃən/
UK/kəntɹˈæpʃən/
Definition
n. a machine or gadget that looks complicated and perhaps likely to break.
n. a mechanical device or apparatus, often one that is perceived as overly complex, peculiar, or precariously constructed.
Examples
“The old man tried to fix the broken contraption.”
“The inventor spent months building a strange contraption that could supposedly clean the entire house in one hour.”
“While the device was technically a marvel of engineering, its unwieldy design made it more of a contraption than a practical tool for everyday use.”
Examples
simple
“The old man tried to fix the broken contraption.”
contextual
“The inventor spent months building a strange contraption that could supposedly clean the entire house in one hour.”
complex
“While the device was technically a marvel of engineering, its unwieldy design made it more of a contraption than a practical tool for everyday use.”
Usage
Often carries a slightly humorous or skeptical tone regarding the object's usefulness.
Teaching tip
Learners should use this when they want to describe a machine that looks 'homemade' or unnecessarily complicated.
Real-World Examples
“He declines to share details but the contraption will make square pan-style pies and that the machine is inspired by the way 3D printers work.” “When you fly into the Los Angeles airport LAX, a spindly space-age contraption is the first thing that greets your eyes outside the window.” Etymology
Possibly a Western US English dialectal word of unknown origin. Perhaps from contrive + trap + -tion, while also possibly approximating construction. Chambers suggests contrivance + adaption. Neither Chambers nor Concise Oxford suggests a US origin. Compare cantrip, cantrap (Scots dialect), a wilful piece of trickery.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/contraption