pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) 1. The articles used in a particular activity; equipment: a photographer's paraphernalia. See Synonyms at equipment. 2. Law Personal property used by a married woman that, although actually owned by her husband and subject to claims by his creditors, becomes her personal property after his death. [Medieval Latin paraphernālia, neuter pl. of paraphernālis, pertaining to the parapherna, a married woman's property exclusive of her dowry, from Late Latin, from Greek : para-, beyond; see PARA-1 + phernē, dowry; see bher-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.