— paraphernalian, paraphernal /par'euh ferr"nl/ , adj.
/par'euh feuhr nayl"yeuh, -feuh nayl"-/ , n.
1. ( sometimes used with a singular v. ) equipment, apparatus, or furnishing used in or necessary for a particular activity: a skier's paraphernalia.
2. ( used with a plural v. ) personal belongings.
3. ( used with a singular v. ) Law. the personal articles, apart from dower, reserved by law to a married woman.
[ 1470-80; paraphernalia ( bona ) a bride's goods, beyond her dowry, equiv. to LL paraphern ( a ) a bride's property ( parápherna, equiv. to para- PARA- 1 + phern ( é ) dowry, deriv. of phérein to BEAR 1 + -a neut. pl. n. suffix) + L -alia, n. use of neut. pl. of -alis -AL 1 ]
Syn. 1. appointments, appurtenances, accouterments, trappings. 2. effects.