appurtenance

Something that is an accessory to something but not an integral part of it is an appurtenance. If you buy a car, you may want to purchase a few appurtenances for it, like an ice scraper and fuzzy dice to hang from your rear view mirror.

The noun appurtenance does not only refer to tangible objects, such as appurtenances of a certain lifestyle. It can also mean equipment or gear for a certain task. By the time you fill your locker with all the appurtenances of a high school student, you won't have room for a coat. Perhaps the appurtenances you should invest in are heavy sweatshirts.

Definitions of appurtenance
1

n equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles needed for a particular operation or sport etc.

Synonyms:
gear, paraphernalia
Types:
show 22 types...
hide 22 types...
fishing gear, fishing rig, fishing tackle, rig, tackle
gear used in fishing
kit, outfit
gear consisting of a set of articles or tools for a specified purpose
regalia
paraphernalia indicative of royalty (or other high office)
rig
gear (including necessary machinery) for a particular enterprise
rigging, tackle
gear consisting of ropes etc. supporting a ship's masts and sails
saddlery, stable gear, tack
gear for a horse
bit
piece of metal held in horse's mouth by reins and used to control the horse while riding
caparison, housing, trapping
stable gear consisting of a decorated covering for a horse, especially (formerly) for a warhorse
carpenter's kit, tool kit
a set of carpenter's tools
cinch, girth
stable gear consisting of a band around a horse's belly that holds the saddle in place
crown jewels
regalia (jewelry and other paraphernalia) worn by a sovereign on state occasions
drill rig, drilling rig, oil rig, oilrig
rig used in drilling for oil or gas
first-aid kit
kit consisting of a set of bandages and medicines for giving first aid
hame
stable gear consisting of either of two curved supports that are attached to the collar of a draft horse and that hold the traces
harness
stable gear consisting of an arrangement of leather straps fitted to a draft animal so that it can be attached to and pull a cart
headgear
stable gear consisting of any part of a harness that fits about the horse's head
layette
kit consisting of a complete outfit (clothing and accessories) for a new baby
martingale
a harness strap that connects the nose piece to the girth; prevents the horse from throwing back its head
mess kit
kit containing a metal dish and eating utensils; used by soldiers and campers
horse blanket, saddle blanket, saddlecloth
stable gear consisting of a blanket placed under the saddle
sewing kit
a kit of articles used in sewing
yoke
stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team
Type of:
equipment
an instrumentality needed for an undertaking or to perform a service

n a supplementary component that improves capability

Synonyms:
accessory, add-on, supplement
Types:
show 7 types...
hide 7 types...
auto accessory
an accessory for an automobile
computer accessory
an accessory for a computer
fitting
a small and often standardized accessory to a larger system
fixings, trimmings
the accessories that normally accompany (something or some activity)
gas fitting
the fitting (pipes or valves or meters) that convey gas from the gas main to the gas fixtures of a building
pipe fitting, pipefitting
fitting consisting of threaded pieces of pipe for joining pipes together
receptacle
an electrical (or electronic) fitting that is connected to a source of power and equipped to receive an insert
Type of:
component, constituent, element
an artifact that is one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up; especially a part that can be separated from or attached to a system

Sign up, it's free!

Whether you're a student, an educator, or a lifelong learner, Vocabulary.com can put you on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.