Added 9 October 2026
gadget
/ɡæd͡ʒ.ɪt/ noun
First recorded: 1886 Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about gadget at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A device or control that is very useful for a particular job.
Origin
Unknown. First used in print by Robert Brown in 1886 (see quote in definition section). Might come from French gâchette or gagée, or from the French family name Gaget, an industrialist who produced promotional gadgets in collaboration with the project to build the statue of Liberty.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)