Meaning & use
paraphernalia
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Meanings
noununcountable
A large collection of small objects and equipment needed for a particular activity or belonging to a person.
Grammar: Treated as uncountable and usually takes a singular verb: the paraphernalia was spread out; you do not say a paraphernalia.
Patterns
- the paraphernalia of something
- paraphernalia for something
The garage was full of camping paraphernalia from years of trips.
She carried all the paraphernalia needed for a day at the beach.
The baby's paraphernalia took over the whole hallway.
noununcountablelegal
The tools and items used for taking illegal drugs, mentioned mainly in law and police reports.
Grammar: Almost always appears as drug paraphernalia; used in legal language.
Patterns
- drug paraphernalia
Police found drug paraphernalia in the abandoned building.
The law treats possessing paraphernalia as a separate offense.
Common combinations
- camping paraphernalia
- The camping paraphernalia filled the back of the car.
- drug paraphernalia
- Selling drug paraphernalia is banned in the state.
- photographic paraphernalia
- His desk was crowded with photographic paraphernalia.
- the paraphernalia of power
- The paraphernalia of power, from the flags to the guards, impressed the visitors.
- all the paraphernalia
- I forgot all the paraphernalia that goes with a new baby.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gear
- Gear is shorter and more casual, and suggests useful equipment, while paraphernalia hints at a bulky and sometimes excessive amount.
- equipment
- Equipment is neutral and efficient, whereas paraphernalia emphasizes the many small, scattered odds and ends.
- accessories
- Accessories are extra items that go with a main object, but paraphernalia covers the whole mass of items for an activity.
- trappings
- Trappings are outward signs of a role or status, not tools you actually use.
Commonly confused: paraphernalia or memorabilia?
paraphernalia vs memorabilia
Memorabilia are objects kept because they recall a person or event, while paraphernalia are items used for an activity.
Practice
The ___ for the stage show, including costumes and lights, filled two vans.
Choose one answer.
Paraphernalia is the uncountable noun for a mass of items used in an activity. Equipments, luggages and furnitures are not normal English because those nouns do not take a plural.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “paraphernalia”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.