contrivance

English

Etymology

contrive +‎ -ance

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kənˈtɹaɪ.vəns/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

contrivance (plural contrivances)

  1. a (mechanical) device to perform a certain task
  2. a means, such as an elaborate plan or strategy, to accomplish a certain objective
    • 2005, Plato, Sophist. Translation by Lesley Brown. 266b.
      And along with each of these go their images, not the things themselves, — they too have come about by godlike contrivance.
  3. something overly artful or artificial

Coordinate terms

Translations

Further reading

  • contrivance in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • contrivance in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.