apparatus

C1 Topic:Work & Careers

US /ˌæp.əˈɹeɪ.təs/ See IPA manual

Freq #14570

Meanings

1

noun
A complex machine or set of equipment built for a particular job.

The lab was full of strange apparatus for measuring tiny electric currents.
2

noun
The whole system of people and methods used to run something, especially in government or politics.

The dictator controlled the entire state apparatus, from the police to the media.
3

noun
A group of body parts that work together to do one thing.

Smoking can seriously damage the body's breathing apparatus.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a complex machine or set of... device instrument machinery equipment gear

2 noun · the whole system of people... machine mechanism setup

Word family

Forms apparatiapparatuses

Related forms apparat

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.

apparātus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Work & Careers Tools, Machines & Construction

External links

# apparatus

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌæp.əˈɹeɪ.təs/
**Frequency rank:** 14570

## Meanings
1. A complex machine or set of equipment built for a particular job.
2. The whole system of people and methods used to run something, especially in government or politics.
3. A group of body parts that work together to do one thing.

## Examples
- The lab was full of strange apparatus for measuring tiny electric currents.
- The dictator controlled the entire state apparatus, from the police to the media.
- Smoking can seriously damage the body's breathing apparatus.

## Related Forms
- apparat

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: apparātus

## Etymology
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.

## AI Etymology
Apparatus is a learned borrowing from Latin apparātus. Doublet of apparat. The historical chain records Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd, Proto-Italic *ad, Proto-Italic *ad-, Latin ad-, Proto-Indo-European *perh₃-, Latin parō, Latin apparō, Proto-Indo-European *-tus, Proto-Italic *-tus, Latin -tus, Latin apparātus, and English apparatus. Important recorded forms include apparātus (Latin). Current senses include a complex machine or set of equipment built for a particular job, the whole system of people and methods used to run something, especially in government or politics, and a group of body parts that work together to do one thing. The wider family includes related words such as apparat.

## Topics
- Work & Careers
- Tools, Machines & Construction

markdown

apparatus

Meanings

Thesaurus

Common collocations

Etymology

Topics

External links

Keyboard Shortcuts

General

Send feedback