devices
English meaning: Devices
Definition
Any piece of equipment made for a particular purpose, especially a mechanical or electrical one.
Example
“There are a number of household devices in a kitchen such as a dishwasher, a garbage disposal, or an electric can opener.”
Another example: “The teacher asked students to put away their mobile devices during the exam.”
Usage — When, Where & How
A very common plural noun for pieces of equipment, especially electronic ones such as phones, tablets and computers. Frequent in technology, medicine ('medical devices') and writing ('literary devices').
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Old French 'devis' ('division, intention, plan'), from Latin 'dividere' ('to divide'), from the 13th century.
Synonyms
- gadgets
- appliances
- instruments
- tools
- apparatus
Related Words
- usb
- bluetooth
- blackberry
- ipad
- android
- iphone
- ios
- tablets
- semiconductor
- device
Common Collocations
- mobile devices
- electronic devices
- medical devices
- smart devices
- connected devices
- input devices
Word Forms
device (n); devices (pl)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
CC-licensed · free to useVideo
Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B