equipment

noun

equip·​ment i-ˈkwip-mənt 

1

a

: the set of articles or physical resources serving to equip a person or thing: such as

(1)

: the implements used in an operation or activity : apparatus

sports equipment

(2)

: all the fixed assets other than land and buildings of a business enterprise

(3)

: the rolling stock of a railway

b

: a piece of such equipment

2

a

: the equipping of a person or thing

b

: the state of being equipped

3

: mental or emotional traits or resources : endowment

Synonyms

• gear
• apparatus
• facilities
• kit [chiefly British]
• hardware
• stuff
• material(s)

Examples of equipment in a Sentence

The photographer came early to set up his equipment.

I'm looking for a hobby that doesn't require a lot of fancy equipment.

an expensive piece of medical equipment

Not enough funds were provided for the equipment of the troops.

Recent Examples on the Web

Per The Wall Street Journal, along with the hair salon, where a stylist would clean up Vania’s and her two daughters’ nails (and where the youngest daughter had her DJ equipment set up), the home also has an indoor-outdoor basketball court, a steam room, a sauna, and a gym. —Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 15 Sep. 2025

The auxiliary equipment operates separately from the main system, which enables easy integration into standard data center environments. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2025

Your competitors can buy the same equipment. —John Ganem, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

In the winter of 1986, her father, a heavy-equipment operator, killed himself. —Clare Malone, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing equipment

• original equipment manufacturer
• personal protection equipment
• personal protective equipment
• re-equipment

Rhymes for equipment

• transhipment
• transshipment
• shipment

Kids Definition

equipment

noun

equip·​ment i-ˈkwip-mənt 

1

a

: the act of equipping a person or thing

b

: the state of being equipped

2

: the articles serving to equip a person or thing

Legal Definition

equipment

noun

equip·​ment

: the implements used in an operation or activity

specifically, in the Uniform Commercial Code : goods that are not inventory, farm products, or consumer goods

Note: This definition, found in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, applies to other Code articles as well.