apparatus

/æpəˈræɾəs/

/æpəˈrætɛs/

Other forms: apparatuses

Your apparatus is the collective equipment you use for specific purposes. For example, the apparatus used for scuba diving includes goggles, flippers, and a breathing tank, while a surgeon’s apparatus includes various scalpels and clamps. Different activities, different apparatuses.

The noun apparatus evolved from the Latin apparātus, meaning "equipment or preparation." It might refer to one item, (a breathing apparatus) or a group of items (sports apparatus). Here’s a spelling tip: often, when a word ends in -us, the plural ending changes to i — “alumnus/alumni,” “focus/foci.” However, apparatus is part of the group that doesn't change — words like “virus/viruses” or “census/censuses.” This means the plural is either apparatus or apparatuses, though the latter is more common.

Definitions of apparatus

1. noun

   equipment designed to serve a specific function
   synonyms: setup

   types:

   aerator

   an apparatus for exposing something to the air (as sewage)

   burner

   an apparatus for burning fuel (or refuse)

   cascade liquefier

   an apparatus used to liquefy air or oxygen etc.

   centrifuge, extractor, separator

   an apparatus that uses centrifugal force to separate particles from a suspension

   chemical reactor

   an apparatus for holding substances that are undergoing a chemical reaction

   condenser

   an apparatus that converts vapor into liquid

   copier, duplicator

   apparatus that makes copies of typed, written or drawn material

   electrograph

   an apparatus for the electrical transmission of pictures

   generator

   an apparatus that produces a vapor or gas

   heat pump

   apparatus that extracts heat from a liquid that is at a higher temperature than its surroundings; can be used to transfer heat from a reservoir outside in order to heat a building

   heliograph

   an apparatus for sending telegraphic messages by using a mirror to turn the sun's rays off and on

   brooder, incubator

   apparatus consisting of a box designed to maintain a constant temperature by the use of a thermostat; used for chicks or premature infants

   instillator

   medical apparatus that puts a liquid into a cavity drop by drop

   Kipp's apparatus

   a laboratory apparatus for producing a gas (usually hydrogen sulfide) by the action of a liquid on a solid without heating

   lighting

   apparatus for supplying artificial light effects for the stage or a film

   nuclear reactor, reactor

   (physics) any of several kinds of apparatus that maintain and control a nuclear reaction for the production of energy or artificial elements

   optical bench

   apparatus for observation and measurement of optical phenomena

   pendulum

   an apparatus consisting of an object mounted so that it swings freely under the influence of gravity

   purifier

   a device for removing unwanted or unsafe materials from a substance

   reformer

   an apparatus that reforms the molecular structure of hydrocarbons to produce richer fuel

   semaphore

   an apparatus for visual signaling with lights or mechanically moving arms

   sequenator, sequencer

   (chemistry) an apparatus that can determine the sequence of monomers in a polymer

   soda fountain

   an apparatus for dispensing soda water

   still

   an apparatus used for the distillation of liquids; consists of a vessel in which a substance is vaporized by heat and a condenser where the vapor is condensed

   submersible

   an apparatus intended for use under water

   telegraph, telegraphy

   apparatus used to communicate at a distance over a wire (usually in Morse code)

   titrator

   an apparatus for performing a titration

   X-ray machine

   an apparatus that provides a source of X rays

   atomic pile, atomic reactor, chain reactor, pile

   a nuclear reactor that uses controlled nuclear fission to generate energy

   backlighting

   lighting from behind

   bathyscape, bathyscaph, bathyscaphe

   navigable deep diving vessel for underwater exploration

   bathysphere

   spherical deep diving apparatus (lowered by a cable) for underwater exploration

   blowlamp, blowtorch, torch

   a burner that mixes air and gas to produce a very hot flame

   breeder reactor

   a nuclear reactor that produces more fissile material than it burns

   cat cracker, catalytic cracker

   a chemical reactor for converting oils with high boiling points into fuels with lower boiling points in the presence of a catalyst

   Coffey still

   a still consisting of an apparatus for the fractional distillation of ethanol from fermentation on an industrial scale

   diving bell

   diving apparatus for underwater work; has an open bottom and is supplied with compressed air

   facsimile, facsimile machine, fax

   duplicator that transmits the copy by wire or radio

   fast reactor

   nuclear reactor in which nuclear fissions are caused by fast neutrons because little or no moderator is used

   fluoroscope, roentgenoscope

   an X-ray machine that combines an X-ray source and a fluorescent screen to enable direct observation

   Foucault pendulum

   pendulum with a long wire; can swing in any direction; the change in the swing plane demonstrates the earth's rotation

   gas bracket

   a pipe with one or more burners projecting from a wall

   gas burner, gas jet

   burner such that combustible gas issues from a nozzle to form a steady flame

   gas-cooled reactor

   a nuclear reactor using gas as a coolant

   hectograph, heliotype

   duplicator consisting of a gelatin plate from which ink can be taken to make a copy

   haematocrit, hematocrit

   a measuring instrument to determine (usually by centrifugation) the relative amounts of corpuscles and plasma in the blood

   Liebig condenser

   a condenser: during distillation the vapor passes through a tube that is cooled by water

   liquid metal reactor

   a nuclear reactor using liquid metal as a coolant

   lithograph, lithograph machine

   duplicator that prints by lithography; a flat surface (of stone or metal) is treated to absorb or repel ink in the desired pattern

   metronome

   clicking pendulum indicates the exact tempo of a piece of music

   Roneo, Roneograph, mimeo, mimeograph, mimeograph machine

   a rotary duplicator that uses a stencil through which ink is pressed (trade mark Roneo)

   minisub, minisubmarine

   submersible vessel for one or two persons; for naval operations or underwater exploration

   photocopier

   a copier that uses photographic methods of making copies

   Photostat, Photostat machine

   a duplicating machine that makes quick positive or negative copies directly on the surface of prepared paper

   compound pendulum, physical pendulum

   pendulum consisting of an actual object allowed to rotate freely around a horizontal axis

   reflux condenser

   condenser such that vapor over a boiling liquid is condensed and flows back into the vessel to prevent its contents from boiling dry

   scrubber

   a purifier that removes impurities from a gas

   simple pendulum

   a hypothetical pendulum suspended by a weightless frictionless thread of constant length

   thermal reactor

   a nuclear reactor in which nuclear fissions are caused by neutrons that are slowed down by a moderator

   fusion reactor, thermonuclear reactor

   a nuclear reactor that uses controlled nuclear fusion to generate energy

   tomograph

   X-ray machine in which a computer builds a detailed image of a particular plane through an object from multiple X-ray measurements

   ultracentrifuge

   a high speed centrifuge used to determine the relative molecular masses of large molecules in high polymers and proteins

   water-cooled reactor

   nuclear reactor using water as a coolant

   Xerox, Xerox machine, xerographic copier

   a duplicator (trade mark Xerox) that copies graphic matter by the action of light on an electrically charged photoconductive insulating surface in which the latent image is developed with a resinous powder

   type of:

   equipment

   an instrumentality needed for an undertaking or to perform a service
2. noun

   (anatomy) a group of body parts that work together to perform a given function
   “the breathing apparatus”

   types:

   auditory apparatus

   all of the components of the organ of hearing including the outer and middle and inner ears

   type of:

   body part

   any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity