accoutrement

noun

ac·​cou·​tre·​ment ə-ˈkü-trə-mənt  ə-ˈkü-tər-mənt 

variants or accouterment

ə-ˈkü-tər-mənt 

1

a

: equipment, trappings

specifically : a soldier's outfit usually not including clothes and weapons

—usually used in plural

b

: an accessory item of clothing or equipment

—usually used in plural

Shops offering the physical accoutrements of polite manners—lace, gloves, linen underclothing, snuff, and gentleman's powdered wigs …

—Arthur Herman

2

: an identifying and often superficial characteristic or device

—usually used in plural

… some of the other accouterments of power that define our diplomacy.

—Elizabeth Drew

3

archaic : the act of accoutring

Did you know?

Tracing Accoutrement Back to Old French

Accoutrement and its rarer relative accoutre, a verb meaning "to provide with equipment or furnishings" or "to outfit," have been appearing in English texts since the 16th century. Today both words have variant spellings—accouterment and accouter. The pair's French ancestor, accoutrer, descends from an Old French word meaning "seam" and ultimately traces to the Latin word consuere, meaning "to sew together." Some etymological stitching is visible in another English word: couture, a word referring to the business of making fashionable clothes, as well as to the clothes themselves, is also a descendant of consuere.

Synonyms of accoutrement

• accessory
• option
• appliance

Examples of accoutrement in a Sentence

this vacuum cleaner has all of the accoutrements for cleaning furniture as well as floors

has all the accoutrements that the home pastry chef could ever want

Recent Examples on the Web

That way, all the accoutrements to come will start with a foundation that has your stamp of approval. —Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026

More modern, though, are the cabin’s accoutrements, including an infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, climate control, electrically adjustable seats, and select driver assists such as cruise control and a reversing camera. —Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2026

For reptiles and their accoutrements, go to Nature’s Reef and Reptile in Jamaica. —The Editors, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026

Caviar, replete with buckwheat blinis and other accoutrements, is a daily decadent appetizer option. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French accoutrement, accoustrement, from accoutrer "to accoutre" + -ment -ment

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

accoutrement

noun

ac·​cou·​tre·​ment

variants or accouterment

ə-ˈkü-trə-mənt  -ˈküt-ər-mənt 

: an accessory item of clothing or equipment

—usually used in plural