Accoutrements

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Additional items or accessories worn or carried to complement clothing or gear for a specific purpose
2. Supplementary equipment or decorative items that enhance the appearance or function of an outfit or activity setup
3. Extra gear or appendages that serve to complete or complement attire or a set of tools for a particular use

Etymology: Anyone who has packed for a long trip has an accoutrement-shaped problem: the stuff that goes around the essentials. The word began in the 1540s in English, but its roots run back through French to a Latin-derived verb that once meant "to arrange" or even "to sew up." The Old French form "acostrer" carried that sense of fitting something out, and the French noun "accoutrement" came from it, applying to clothing and equipment in general. English took the word in with a much more practical sense than its French relative would suggest, and at first the idea of gear and dress sat close together. The modern English word combines two strands: the French-derived noun, and the verb "accoutre," which is itself linked to the same Old French stem, plus the common English suffix "-ment," used to turn verbs into nouns denoting the result or means of an action.

Synonyms: accessories, gear, equipment, attachments, implements

Antonyms: essentials, necessities, basics, fundamentals, core items