contraption

C2 Topic:Tools, Machines & Construction

US /kənˈtræpʃən/ UK /kənˈtɹæp.ʃən/ See IPA manual

noun Freq #17903

Meanings

1

noun
A strange or overly complicated machine or device.

He built a bizarre contraption out of wires and old bicycle parts.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a strange or overly... contrivance

More construction devicefandangogadget mechanism

Word family

Forms contraptions

Derived forms contraptionarycontraptor

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.

Topics

Tools, Machines & Construction Word Formation & Derivatives

# contraption

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** kənˈtræpʃən
**IPA (UK):** kənˈtɹæp.ʃən
**Frequency rank:** 17903

## Meanings
1. A strange or overly complicated machine or device.

## Examples
- He built a bizarre contraption out of wires and old bicycle parts.

## Synonyms
- construction
- contrivance
- device
- fandango
- gadget
- mechanism

## Derived Forms
- contraptionary
- contraptor

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Contraption is 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. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. Current senses include a strange or overly complicated machine or device. The wider family includes derived forms such as contraptionary and contraptor.

## Topics
- Tools, Machines & Construction
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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contraption

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