Contraption - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
A contraption is a mechanical device or gadget, often unusual or makeshift in design, created to perform a specific task. It may appear complex or improvised.
Definition:
A mechanical device or gadget, often strange or complicated in appearance.
Synonyms:
gadget, device, mechanism, invention, apparatus
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
simplicity, natural object
Common Collocations:
strange contraption, mechanical contraption, homemade contraption, ingenious contraption, complicated contraption
Derivatives:
contraptions (plural), contraptionary (rare)
Usage Tips:
Use "contraption" to describe an unusual or overly complex device, often with a playful or skeptical tone.
Common Phrases:
Rube Goldberg contraption, crazy contraption, jury-rigged contraption
Etymology:
Derived from "contrive" + "-tion," suggesting a clever or makeshift invention.
Examples:
- 1. He built a strange contraption to water his plants automatically.
- 2. The old inventor showed us his latest contraption for peeling apples.
- 3. She laughed at the bizarre contraption he called a "time-saving machine."
- 4. The garage was full of rusty tools and odd contraptions.