paraphernalia

UK: /ˌpærəfə^rˈneɪliə/

US: /ˌpærəfɚˈneɪljə, -fəˈneɪl-/

US: (par′ə fər nāl′yə, -fə nāl′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

par•a•pher•na•lia /ˌpærəfɚˈneɪlyə, -fəˈneɪl-/   n. 

1. equipment or items necessary for a particular activity: [plural; used with a plural verb] :
   All the maps and travel paraphernalia were stored in the glove compartment.
   [uncountable* used with a singular verb]
   Is all this paraphernalia necessary to take a simple picture?
2. personal belongings:
   [plural* used with a plural verb] Their paraphernalia were stored in trunks.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

par•a•pher•na•lia  (par′ə fər nāl′yə, -fə nāl′-), n. 

1. (sometimes used with a singular v.) equipment, apparatus, or furnishing used in or necessary for a particular activity:
   a skier's paraphernalia.
2. (used with a plural v.) personal belongings.
3. (used with a singular v.) [Law.] the personal articles, apart from dower, reserved by law to a married woman.

• Greek parápherna, equivalent. to para- para-¹ + phern(é̄) dowry, derivative of phérein to bear¹ + -a neuter plural noun, nominal suffix) + Latin -ālia, noun, nominal use of neuter plural of -ālis -al¹
• Medieval Latin paraphernālia (bona) a bride's goods, beyond her dowry, equivalent. to Late Latin paraphern(a) a bride's property (
• 1470–80;

par′a•pher•na′lian, par•a•pher•nal  (par′ə fûr′nl), adj.  Synonyms

• 1. appointments, appurtenances, accouterments, trappings.
• 2. effects.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

paraphernalia / ˌpærəfəˈneɪlɪə/ noun:plural (sometimes functioning as singular)

1. miscellaneous articles or equipment
2. (formerly) articles of personal property given to a married woman by her husband before or during marriage and regarded in law as her possessions over which she has some measure of control

Etymology: 17th Century: via Medieval Latin from Latin parapherna personal property of a married woman, apart from her dowry, from Greek, from para-¹ + phernē dowry, from pherein to carry