accoutrement

noun

ac·​cou·​tre·​ment ə-ˈkü-trə-mənt How to pronounce accoutrement (audio) ə-ˈkü-tər-mənt How to pronounce accoutrement (audio)
variants or accouterment
1
a
: equipment, trappings
specifically : a soldier's outfit usually not including clothes and weapons
usually used in plural
b
: an accessory item of clothing or equipment
usually used in plural
Shops offering the physical accoutrements of polite manners—lace, gloves, linen underclothing, snuff, and gentleman's powdered wigs …Arthur Herman
2
: an identifying and often superficial characteristic or device
usually used in plural
… some of the other accouterments of power that define our diplomacy.Elizabeth Drew
3
archaic : the act of accoutring

Did you know?

Tracing Accoutrement Back to Old French

Accoutrement and its rarer relative accoutre, a verb meaning "to provide with equipment or furnishings" or "to outfit," have been appearing in English texts since the 16th century. Today both words have variant spellings—accouterment and accouter. The pair's French ancestor, accoutrer, descends from an Old French word meaning "seam" and ultimately traces to the Latin word consuere, meaning "to sew together." Some etymological stitching is visible in another English word: couture, a word referring to the business of making fashionable clothes, as well as to the clothes themselves, is also a descendant of consuere.

Examples of accoutrement in a Sentence

this vacuum cleaner has all of the accoutrements for cleaning furniture as well as floors has all the accoutrements that the home pastry chef could ever want
Recent Examples on the Web Host Aidy Bryant made use of the location by trying to get a beach party started inside the tent by bringing out all the necessary accoutrements, including beach balls, hot dogs and a few shirtless men in board shorts. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2024 Price: $15 Female-founded in Tennessee, this artisan ice cream company oozes Southern charm, not to mention a variety of sweet and salty accoutrements that take their already rich and creamy base to a whole different level. Lois Alter Mark, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 That sizzling, high-shine gown looked all the more arresting for its piratical accoutrements. Alice Newbold, Glamour, 10 Feb. 2024 Thompson and his team were tasked with making period-accurate musical accoutrements that were also practical. Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Dec. 2023 But while his lyrics are sometimes fixed like a telescope on the skies and certain sonic accoutrements evoke science fiction soundscapes, Sampha spent his set focused on earthly concerns, finding transcendence through his voice and the power of percussion. Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 13 Nov. 2023 Singapore is also adding exciting accoutrements to its impressive green quilt. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Nov. 2023 Blended cocktails were served in tall glasses with accoutrements meticulously arranged with tweezers. Moriah Balingit, Sacramento Bee, 25 Jan. 2024 Greenspan’s duck is delivered in a box via Postmates, with various condiments meant to mimic the traditional Peking duck accoutrements. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'accoutrement.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French accoutrement, accoustrement, from accoutrer "to accoutre" + -ment -ment

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of accoutrement was circa 1550

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Cite this Entry

“Accoutrement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accoutrement. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

accoutrement

noun
ac·​cou·​tre·​ment
variants or accouterment
: an accessory item of clothing or equipment
usually used in plural

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