noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˌpæɹəfəˈneɪli.ə/
General-American:/ˌpɛɹəfɚˈneɪli.ə/
General-American:/ˌpɛɹəfəˈneɪli.ə/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪliə
CMU ARPABET:P EH2 R AH0 F AH0 N EY1 L Y AH0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Miscellaneous items, especially the set of equipment required for a particular activity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: plural, plural-only
Examples
drug paraphernalia
He has an impressive collection of bicycling paraphernalia, but he doesn't ride very often anymore.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: stuff, utensil
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Objects that a married woman owns, such as clothing and jewellery, apart from her dowry.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, plural, plural-only
Qualifier: family law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: parapherna, paraphernals
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles needed for a particular operation or sport etc.
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Borrowed from Medieval Latin paraphernālia (“goods which a wife brings over and above her dowry”), use as noun (short for paraphernālia bona (“paraphernal goods”)) of neuter plural of paraphernālis, from Late Latin parapherna + Latin -ālis (suffix forming adjectives), from Ancient Greek παράφερνα (parápherna), a compound of παρά (pará, “beside”) + φερνή (phernḗ, “dowry”). In the propertied classes, a dowry was placed under the control of the husband, while the paraphernalia which she brought with her remained the wife’s property.
Across languages
Translations
45 source translations are retained for this English entry.
