gadget

noun

gad·​get ˈga-jət 

: an often small mechanical or electronic device with a practical use but often thought of as a novelty

gadgetry

ˈga-jə-trē 

noun

gadgety

ˈga-jə-tē 

adjective

Synonyms

• appliance
• contraption
• contrivance
• gimmick
• gizmo
• gismo
• jigger
• widget

Examples of gadget in a Sentence

The kitchen is equipped with all the latest gadgets.

cell phones, pagers, and other gadgets

Recent Examples on the Web

Spotify For some of us, few things are more infuriating than a gadget that stops working due to a software change. —Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 5 Sep. 2024

Fast-forward to 2024, and a big theme in AI involves our consumer favorite gadgets, with tech companies trying to bring AI to phones and laptops. —Steve Kovach, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2024

One day, these things will be able to stream directly to a set of wireless earbuds – but right now, this is the state of the art, an affordable and spectacularly fun gadget, and a perfect illustration of just how outrageously spoiled the modern guitarist is these days. —New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2024

Consider a buzzy new gadget or viral Amazon bestseller (see a star projector). —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

perhaps a sound-symbolic coinage, with final as in fidget entry 1, midget, idjit (nonstandard form of idiot)

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gadget

noun

gad·​get ˈgaj-ət 

: an interesting, unfamiliar, or unusual device with a practical use

gadgetry

ˈgaj-ə-trē 

noun