Main Entry:: de·vice
Pronunciation:: \di-ˈvīs\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: Middle English devis, devise, from Anglo-French, division, plan, from deviser to divide, regulate, tell — more at devise
Date:: 14th century

1: something devised or contrived: as a (1): plan , procedure , technique (2): a scheme to deceive : stratagem , trick b: something fanciful, elaborate, or intricate in design c: something (as a figure of speech) in a literary work designed to achieve a particular artistic effect darchaic : masque , spectacle e: a conventional stage practice or means (as a stage whisper) used to achieve a particular dramatic effect f: a piece of equipment or a mechanism designed to serve a special purpose or perform a special function <an electronic device> 2: desire , inclination <left to my own devices>3: an emblematic design used especially as a heraldic bearing

Learn more about "device" and related topics at Britannica.com

See a map of "device" in the Visual Thesaurus

Find Jobs in Your City

Pronunciation Symbols