Word
gizmo
Phoneticsgiz·mo, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɡɪzˌmoʊ/
UK/ɡˈɪzməʊ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a small device or tool that does something useful, especially one whose name you do not know. You use it for clever gadgets around the house or office.
n. a small mechanical or electronic device with a practical function, often one whose precise name is unknown or unimportant. Conveys a sense of novelty or ingenuity.
Examples
“This little gizmo opens cans in seconds.”
“He clips a small gizmo to his keys so he can find them with his phone.”
“The kitchen drawer holds a collection of single-purpose gizmos, each promising to slice, seal, or sharpen faster than the last.”
Examples
simple
“This little gizmo opens cans in seconds.”
contextual
“He clips a small gizmo to his keys so he can find them with his phone.”
complex
“The kitchen drawer holds a collection of single-purpose gizmos, each promising to slice, seal, or sharpen faster than the last.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “gizmo” in context.
Verb
01. buy gizmo
“I bought a gizmo that peels vegetables in seconds.”
verb + noun
02. fix gizmo
“Can you fix this gizmo? It stopped flashing yesterday.”
verb + noun
03. gizmo beeps
“The gizmo beeps when your toast is ready.”
noun + verb
04. gizmo breaks
“If the gizmo breaks, you can return it to the shop.”
noun + verb
05. gizmo works
“Press the button and the gizmo works like magic.”
noun + verb
Adjective
06. clever gizmo
“He showed me a clever gizmo that charges phones with solar power.”
adj + noun
07. electronic gizmo
“His desk was covered with wires and small electronic gizmos.”
adj + noun
08. fancy gizmo
“He bought a fancy gizmo that makes coffee with one touch.”
adj + noun
09. a clever kitchen gizmo
“My mum loves a clever kitchen gizmo that saves time.”
10. a handy little gizmo
“This is a handy little gizmo for removing tight lids.”
11. buy a new gizmo
“I decided to buy a new gizmo for cleaning windows.”
12. figure out this gizmo
“Can you help me figure out this gizmo?”
Real-World Examples
“This is Optimizer , a weekly newsletter sent from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest gizmos and potions that swear they’re going to change your life.” “Presumably someone will make a gizmo to turn it into filament, like loads of people have done with PET bottles.” “Next, I'm connected to a dizzying array of gizmos tracking the temperature of my skin and my internal organs, my heart rate and blood pressure.” “A cynic might say that the quest for ever-increasing processing power is strictly commercial–that semiconductor and computer companies, software vendors, and makers of mobile phones need us to buy new gizmos.” Etymology
Unknown.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/gizmo