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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
ə-ˈkü-tər-mənt How to pronounce accoutrement (audio)
Synonyms of accoutrementnext
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.

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Each room also has a coffee and tea station stocked with all the accoutrements for a hot cup—even a glass jar of shortbread cookies. —Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2025 While their new offerings sync with Spring’s biggest trends, these under-the-radar makers and artists remain committed to crafting garments, accessories, and other fashion accoutrements that last beyond the season of blooms. —Bianca Salonga, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 Due restaurant review: Our local food writer recommends this restaurant and butcher shop where all the proteins, produce, beverages and homemade accoutrements have roots in the Lone Star State. —USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025 Trump, evidently entering his late Liberace era, has been slowly adding gold leafing and other golden accoutrements to more or less every surface of the Oval over the last couple months. —Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for accoutrement

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

Browse Nearby Words

accoutre
accoutrement
accpt
See all Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Accoutrement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accoutrement. Accessed 30 May. 2025.

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Kids Definition

accoutrement

noun
ac·​cou·​tre·​ment
variants or accouterment
ə-ˈkü-trə-mənt How to pronounce accoutrement (audio) -ˈküt-ər-mənt How to pronounce accoutrement (audio)
: an accessory item of clothing or equipment
—usually used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on accoutrement

Nglish: Translation of accoutrement for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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